A new white paper titled An Explanation of Green Jobs Policies, Theory, Measurement Approaches, and Job Growth Expectations was written by Iowa State University through a cooperative agreement with USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses. The authors explore policy, theoretical foundations, and the approaches to measuring green jobs in the United States. The paper contains brief descriptions of national and state initiatives to quantify green jobs, as well as their potential for growth. The study finds there is little academic research that conceptualizes the green economy. Regional research to assist state and local policy development is needed, along with evaluations investigating offsetting job losses.
There are currently twin public policy focuses regarding green jobs. The first concerns imply value of the activity; namely, the ability to conserve energy and other natural resources as well as reduce pollution. The second focus is the job producing value. While most people agree that the environmentally beneficial goals of policy developments are essential, the job creation goals are foremost in most policymakers’ minds.
