Brussels, 09/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - In the middle of economic recession, business as usual is not an option. Although the EU is seeking to create jobs and prosperity, it has everything to gain from a green budget during the 2014-2020 period, according to the results of a study presented by several environmental NGOs to the European Parliament on 8 February. The study, entitled “Evaluating the Potential for Green Jobs in the next Multi-annual Financial Framework” was commissioned by an alliance of leading environmental NGOs (WWF, Birdlife International, Conservation International, European Environment Bureau, Friends of the Earth and Transport and Environment), and builds on work by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report shows that intelligent use of the budget can kill two (figurative) birds with one stone by: continuing the EU's sustainable environment objectives, and tackling the economic and social crisis. It shows that a green budget that invests in sustainable infrastructure and environmental programmes would create more jobs at a lower cost than the current common agricultural policy (CAP) and cohesion policy. The number of jobs generated for every euro invested would quite simply be increased by a factor of three. Although employment is the aim of the EU, the European Commission has never undertaken an impact analysis of the some €1,000 billion spent on employment in its 2007-2013 budget. It would therefore do well to do so for the 2014-2020 budget. Ariel Brunner of Birdlife Europe said the report shows that radical refocusing of the EU budget on environmental sustainability would go hand in hand with the creation of jobs and a healthier European economy.
The findings show that, as it stands, a €1 billion investment in Natura 2000 can create 29,000 jobs where the same investment in CAP will only create 6,200 jobs. In the same way, €1 billion targeted investment could create approximately 52,700 jobs in renewable energies or 25,900 in the energy savings sectors (mainly construction). “Policy makers need to realise that, by mainstreaming green investment in the next EU budget, we can create more jobs and still achieve our strategic objectives. In this time of austerity, citizens demand that every cent they contribute to the EU budget works harder and delivers more for Europe. The current budget is supporting activities that run contrary to our environmental policy goals. Where is the logic in that?” asked Fulai Sheng, Senior Economist with the UNEP's Green Economy Initiative. (AN/transl.jl)