The Green Jobs Advantage: How Climate-friendly Investments Are Better Job Creators

This research paper by the World Resources Institute, the International Trade Union Confederation, and New Climate Economy compares the job creation potential of green investments versus unsustainable investments, finding that climate-friendly investments generally create more jobs per US$1 million.

• Analysis of global studies indicates that green investments typically generate more jobs per US$1 million than unsustainable investments. Specifically, solar PV creates 1.5 times more jobs than fossil fuels, building efficiency creates 2.8 times more, mass transit creates 1.4 times more than road construction, and ecosystem restoration creates 3.7 times more jobs than oil and gas production per $1 million.
• The quality of green jobs varies by economic context. In developing countries, green jobs often lack security and social protections because many are informal and temporary. In developed countries, while green jobs provide paths to the middle class, they may offer lower wages and benefits than traditional sectors where workers have historically used collective action to improve job quality.
• The authors argue that government investments should be tied to conditions that guarantee fair wages, benefits, work security, safe conditions, training, the right to organize, and accessibility for all.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). The Green Jobs Advantage: How Climate-friendly Investments Are Better Job Creators. https://www.wri.org/research/green-jobs-advantage-how-climate-friendly-investments-are-better-job-creators

Chicago

World Resources Institute. The Green Jobs Advantage: How Climate-friendly Investments Are Better Job Creators. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/green-jobs-advantage-how-climate-friendly-investments-are-better-job-creators.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=The Green Jobs Advantage: How Climate-friendly Investments Are Better Job Creators |url=https://www.wri.org/research/green-jobs-advantage-how-climate-friendly-investments-are-better-job-creators |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendgreen, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{The Green Jobs Advantage: How Climate-friendly Investments Are Better Job Creators}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/green-jobs-advantage-how-climate-friendly-investments-are-better-job-creators}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }