Greens Launch Euro Election Campaign - Green Jobs Pledged
13 November 2008
The Green Party in the West Midlands has launched its campaign for the 2009 European elections today with a series of pledges to create thousands of new green-collar jobs in new green industries. Greens from across the region launched policies on green jobs at Strip Tinning Automotive in South Birmingham. The company moved from a purely automotive supply business to supplying parts for photovoltaic solar panels after the collapse of Rover.
The UK has more than 40% of Europe's wind resources and, off our shores, marine energy from waves and tides could generate up to 20% of our electricity. The Green Party claims that, like Germany, we should already have created more than 250,000 jobs in renewable energy. However, our failure to develop this industry means we are lagging behind, with only 26,000 green energy jobs at most.
Many thousands more jobs could also be created in recycling and repairing goods and in local food production. Add an effective programme of insulation and energy efficiency and the total number of jobs would increase even further. In the West Midlands region alone there are nearly one million homes with unfilled cavity walls.
The Green plans are part of a Green New Deal that will focus European institutions on creating millions of new green jobs, energy security and a stronger, more resilient economy.
In the West Midlands, green job creation is also promoted by organisations such as the Bulmer Foundation in Herefordshire and Localise West Midlands in Birmingham. One of the success stories of green job creation in the region is in Rubery, South Birmingham, where Strip Tinning Automotive, who after the Rover collapse, diversified to making parts for solar panels.
The six key Green New Deal pledges aimed at creating green jobs are:
- Provide free insulation for everyone, using energy company profits to cut bills and create jobs
- End subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear, and use the money to build world-class green energy industries
- Train the workforce we need, with a strategic approach to providing new training places for the green industries of the future.
- End soft touch regulation on polluting power stations and give the renewables industry the break it needs
- Regulate big banking to stabilise the financial system, and close the loopholes which allow tax havens to operate.
- Transform rules on procurement to help schools and hospitals buy from local producers.
The Green Party aims to double its number of MEPs in next June's European Elections. These are held under proportional representation rules, which means that every vote counts and can help elect new Green MEPs. Voting takes place across ten regions in England and Wales (and one each in Scotland and Northern Ireland) and there are currently two Green MEPs - for the South East and London.
Felicity Norman, Green Party Candidate for the West Midlands at the European Election said:
"Green MEPs are some of the most effective in the European Parliament and our pledges today show how serious we are about increasing our numbers next June.
"Europe faces not just an economic crisis, but an accelerating climate crisis too. We need secure jobs and we need new green industries. Greens will help build up both with their Green New Deal for Europe - a major, Europe-wide investment in good green jobs, combined with the re-regulation of big finance.
"The West Midlands has a history of leading the way with industry. The region is capable of leading Britain to become the green jobs capital of Europe with these plans, making the transition away from fossil fuels, creating thriving new industries and helping pull ourselves out of economic crisis at the same time."
Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London has recently published a key report on the skills gap for green industries in Europe, and on the wider issues surrounding green work. She said:
"Getting a Green New Deal right in Europe will depend on addressing the green skills gap. An ambitious European-level green skills and jobs programme has never been more urgent and will only be achieved with public investment and planning.
"We will not be able to deliver on climate change targets unless we have an appropriately skilled workforce. The greenest job of all will be making it happen, and that's what Green MEPs are pledging they will do today."
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