How shifting investment towards low-carbon sectors impacts employment: three determinants under scrutiny

"The threat of climate change requires redirecting investment towards low-carbon sectors, and this shift generates heated debates about its impact on employment. Many studies exist, most of which use CGE or Input-Output (IO) models. However, the economic mechanisms at play remain unclear. This...

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Main Authors: Perrier, Quentin, Quirion, Philippe
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Villeurbanne 2018
HAL-SHS
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19303664124911218469-How-shifting-investment-toward.htm
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author Perrier, Quentin
Quirion, Philippe
author_facet Perrier, Quentin
Quirion, Philippe
collection Library items
description "The threat of climate change requires redirecting investment towards low-carbon sectors, and this shift generates heated debates about its impact on employment. Many studies exist, most of which use CGE or Input-Output (IO) models. However, the economic mechanisms at play remain unclear. This paper disentangles the channels of job creation and studies to what extent the results of simpler IO models diverge from CGE results. Using stylized models, we show that a shift in investment creates jobs in IO if it promotes sectors with a higher share of labour in value added, lower wages or a lower import rate. In CGE, the first two channels also yield job creation, but there is no positive impact of targeting low-imports sectors-unless these do not export. Then we undertake a numerical analysis of two policies: the installation of solar panels and weatherization in France. Both policies have a positive effect on employment, in both models, due to the high share of labour and low wages in these sectors. IO results provide a good approximation of CGE results for solar (-14% to +34%) and are slightly higher for weatherization (+22% to +87%). Our findings challenge the idea that renewables boost employment by reducing imports , but they also suggest that a double dividend can be achieved by encouraging low-carbon labour-intensive sectors."
format TEXT
geographic France
id 19303664124911218469_f32b6620711842d8931572031ec6a0cf
institution ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
is_hierarchy_id 19303664124911218469_f32b6620711842d8931572031ec6a0cf
is_hierarchy_title How shifting investment towards low-carbon sectors impacts employment: three determinants under scrutiny
language English
physical 41 p.
Digital
publishDate 2018
publisher Villeurbanne
HAL-SHS
spellingShingle Perrier, Quentin
Quirion, Philippe
renewable resources
climate change
employment
employment creation
investment
How shifting investment towards low-carbon sectors impacts employment: three determinants under scrutiny
thumbnail https://www.labourline.org/Image_prev.jpg?Archive=136975795415
title How shifting investment towards low-carbon sectors impacts employment: three determinants under scrutiny
topic renewable resources
climate change
employment
employment creation
investment
url https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19303664124911218469-How-shifting-investment-toward.htm