NRDC Joins Labor and Business Leaders to Promote Green Jobs

WASHINGTON (February 4, 2009) -- More than 2,000 labor, business, government, and environmental leaders will come together at the 2009 Good Jobs Green Jobs National Conference in Washington, D.C., this week. The event will help shape the national debate around the economic potential of investments in clean energy and green technologies. The Natural Resources Defense Council is one of the sponsors of the conference which will help to mobilize support about the importance of investment in clean energy and green jobs to spur America’s economic recovery.

 

“By coming together to forge the national agenda we can achieve a new green economy that will create jobs, reinvigorate communities, and move our country in a new direction.” said Peter Lehner, Executive Director of NRDC. “This conference will highlight that by working together government, labor, environmental and business leaders can jump-start our economy and protect our planet.”

 

A recent green jobs study by economists at the Political Economy Research Institute of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst points out that clean energy investments will create job opportunities for welders, sheet metal workers, machinists, truck drivers, and others.

 

According to PERI, a two-year, $100 billion green investment program would create 2 million green jobs for workers in the United States. And, across the country, there are more than 14.3 million people that could see job growth or wage increases if America put global warming solutions to work.

 

In addition to the conference, there will be a Green Jobs Expo on February 5, highlighting academic institutions, manufacturers, nonprofit agencies, corporations and others committed to educating, hiring and training workers in a wide range of green jobs. Conference attendees will also go to Capitol Hill on February 4 to educate lawmakers about the green economy as part of Green Jobs Advocacy Day.