People and skills – Cities on track to deliver 50m good green jobs by 2030 – Smart Cities World

Report on Urban Climate Action and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Key Findings on Green Job Creation

An assessment of 81 urban centers by C40 Cities has revealed significant economic opportunities stemming from city-led climate action. The data indicates a direct link between environmental initiatives and progress towards key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning employment and economic growth.

• The assessment identified a total of 21 million existing “good green jobs” across the cities surveyed.
• Over 13.5 million of these are direct green jobs, created as a result of targeted climate policies and actions.

Sectoral Analysis of Green Employment

The growth in green jobs is concentrated in sectors critical to achieving urban sustainability and climate resilience. These sectors are foundational to the successful implementation of several SDGs.

1. Renewable Energy: Roles related to the generation and distribution of clean power, supporting SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
2. Clean Construction: Employment in building energy-efficient and sustainable infrastructure, aligning with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
3. Sustainable Transport: Jobs focused on developing and maintaining low-carbon public and private transportation systems, contributing to SDG 11 and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The creation of this green workforce demonstrates a strong positive correlation between climate initiatives and the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The generation of 21 million green jobs directly advances the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The report confirms that city-level action is essential for making urban environments resilient and sustainable, integrating economic opportunities with environmental stewardship.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The findings provide evidence that municipal climate policies are not only environmentally effective but also serve as powerful engines for economic transition and job creation, strengthening the capacity to combat climate change.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article directly addresses this goal by focusing on the creation of “good green jobs” and “economic opportunities.” It quantifies this by stating that “climate action is helping to create more than 13.5 million direct green jobs” and that “21m good green jobs exist in the 81 cities assessed.”

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  This is the central theme of the article. The creation of green jobs is presented as a direct and positive outcome of “city-led climate action.” The entire premise is that taking action on climate change yields economic benefits.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article’s context is explicitly urban, referencing data from “C40 Cities” and “81 cities assessed.” The mention of “sustainable transport” and “clean construction” are key components of creating sustainable urban environments.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  This goal is connected through the specific mention of job creation in “renewable energy,” which is a core component of achieving a transition to clean energy systems.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The article connects to this goal by highlighting jobs in sectors that are fundamental to building sustainable infrastructure, specifically “clean construction” and “sustainable transport.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. The article’s focus on “city-led climate action” that results in “21m good green jobs” is a direct example of such a policy in action.
   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all. The creation of millions of “good green jobs” contributes directly to this target.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article highlights this at a sub-national level through “city-led climate action,” demonstrating the integration of climate measures into urban planning and economic strategy.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all. The mention of jobs in “sustainable transport” implies investment and development in this area to meet the target.
   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities. The overarching “climate action” in cities, which includes developing renewable energy and clean construction, is aimed at achieving this target.
4. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The creation of jobs in “renewable energy” is a direct result of activities undertaken to meet this target.
5. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable. The jobs mentioned in “clean construction” and “sustainable transport” are integral to the process of upgrading infrastructure to be more environmentally sound.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides specific quantitative data and qualitative descriptions that can serve as indicators:

• Direct Quantitative Indicators: The article explicitly states numerical figures that can be used to measure progress.
  • “13.5 million direct green jobs” created globally due to climate action.
  • “21m good green jobs” existing in the 81 cities assessed by C40.

  These numbers serve as direct indicators for job creation targets under SDG 8.

• Implied Sector-Specific Indicators: The article implies that progress can be measured by tracking job growth in specific green sectors.
  • Number of jobs in the “renewable energy” sector (relevant to SDG 7).
  • Number of jobs in “clean construction” (relevant to SDG 9 and SDG 11).
  • Number of jobs in “sustainable transport” (relevant to SDG 11 and SDG 9).

SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: smartcitiesworld.net