Innovation, Jobs, and Green Growth (Roundtable)

In this roundtable we focus on one key aspect of the long-term transition that Europe faces towards sustainable growth, which is the link between innovation, job creation and green growth. As economies aim for a more resource-efficient economy and provide a more sustainable long-term path for growth and development, there are many questions on what effects this has on GDP, job creation and competitiveness. New research from the NEUJOBS project, funded by the European Commission FP7 Research Program, shows that higher energy productivity only has a small direct effect on economic growth. However, additional indirect effects from more efficient energy use through total factor productivity create opportunity for a long-term positive growth effect. However, the European targets for emission reductions are ambitious, and may therefore impact on employment possibilities for certain occupations or industries that are already currently struggling as a result of dismal growth performance. The questions that arise are:

-          How can the innovation agenda be shaped to increase quantity and quality of jobs?

-          How can we prepare the current workforce for these shifts in labour demand from the socio-ecological transition and what roles are there in this process for governments and private businesses?

-          Will ‘green jobs’ be the answer moving forward or is that not going to have the positive impact that some people are hoping for?

-          What lessons can be learned from policy practices in other countries, notably the United States, with regard to the relationships between innovation, labor markets, and green growth?