Green jobs can play vital role in recovery

Apr 18 2009 by Daivd Old, The Journal

GREEN jobs are vital in the battle to beat the recession, according to an employment minister.

Tony McNulty praised the work carried out by green support services provider eaga on a visit to the Newcastle firm yesterday.

He met some of the staff recruited through a partnership with Jobcentre Plus in the past six months. And he told The Journal of the need to invest in the green sector to protect the environment and create new jobs.

He said: “We must think what the North East economy is going to look like in the future, and where the sectors for potential growth are.

“The environment, climate change and energy efficiency are all highly important and we need to start thinking about that.

“In the current economic climate it is crucial that we do everything we can to create new and sustainable jobs. The switch to a low and zero-carbon economy needed to combat global warming is a challenge but also a great growth opportunity.”