On the occasion of biodiversity negotiations at COP 11, Hyderabad (India), ITUC and Sustainlabour release a report on biodiversity and employment. The report highlights to the need (and the actual possibility) to address a profound transformation of productive sectors to ensure the survival of the species and the creation of sustainable jobs.

As where we are submerged in a deep unemployment crisis, appropriate management of the environmental - protection of biodiversity and ecosystems - can be an important source of new green employment creation and thus should be of far more interest for policy makers.

The executive summary of Ecosystems, economy and employment presents the following conclusions:

• Today’s jobs, biodiversity and ecosystems form the basis of a significant part of the economy and a large part of existing jobs therefore directly depend on their state of health
• It is estimated that in the European Union 14.6 million jobs, in other words 7% of the labour market, are directly related to biodiversity. In the case of developing countries, this figure rises to around 927 million, in other words 35% of their labour market.
• As far as jobs related to ecosystem services are concerned these figures are even higher, with 55% of jobs in the European Union and 84% of jobs in developing countries being closely related to these services.
• Future’s jobs: An appropriate environmental management which protects biodiversity and ecosystems is an important source of the creation of new green employment.
• Farming is a clear example: organic farming production creates a third more employment than non-organic farming practices.
• In the case of the forestry sector it is calculated that as many as 10 million new jobs could be created as a result of sustainable forest management.
• Fishing: 100,000 new jobs would be created in Europe alone if 43 of the 150 European fish populations were renewed. This would mean a 28% increase in the total number of jobs in the European Union.
• Attention must also be paid to employment quality. Biodiversity-friendly production is usually responsible for better working conditions. A prerequisite for the success of policies, programmes and measures for the conservation of natural biodiversity and ecosystems is social and gender equality.

In addition to opportunities, there are also various transitional aspects that must be understood in much greater depth. Dealing with the above mentioned situations in an inclusive manner is the aim of the Just Transition framework. This approach includes policy tools such as: the assessment of employment creation opportunities resulting from biodiversity-friendly management; decision-making based on a prior assessment of their social, economic and environmental impacts; the establishment of active labour market policies; additional economic and social policies, e.g. green and progressive taxation; reinforcing social protection systems in affected areas; along with social dialogue and participatory decision-making.

To download the executive summary click document below.

This report has counted on the collaboration of Fundación Biodiversidad and FSC CCOO.