Clean jobs in New York are on the rise. A recent report by E2 placed New York City at the top of the list for the number of people currently employed in “green jobs.”
A green job is a profession that contributes to a positive natural environment. It can be as simple as working for a solar energy company or as complicated as figuring out which chemicals can be used to extract the most power from biofuel. 3.5 million Americans are employed in one of these jobs, a number that is only growing.
A major catalyst for this growth is the Inflation Reduction Act, a budget package passed by the Biden administration in 2022. The IRA is channeling billions of dollars into clean energy and climate investments, and these investments will provide more than nine million jobs in the next 10 years.
A significant portion of the money also goes to local communities that are affected systemic environmental racismto revitalize their infrastructure and avoid more accidents like the ones that affected – and continue to affect – the communities of Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Missouri.
The IRA had a tumultuous run to becoming law. It was originally proposed as part of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Plan, but when support for the plan declined, the legislation was tabled and presumed dead.
But in July 2022, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Joe Manchin got involved secret negotiations and agreed to a bill that would eventually make it to the floor and from there to the president’s desk. While Democrats had to abandon some of their more far-reaching plans, it was still a significant victory for the left.
Now it has affected the country’s economy for the better. As of 2024, clean energy jobs are set to increase by 14%, growing three times faster than the average US employment rate. In addition, zero-emission vehicles have seen double-digit growth for the third consecutive year, and farmers have received subsidies and incentives to try to invest in smart agriculture.
To combat the racism found in marginalized communities’ infrastructure, the law also introduces tax incentives for solar and wind installations. The incentives will reduce the cost of maintaining such a program and allow cheaper power for everyone in the area. The program also includes means to improve insulation and electrical systems.
The future of the sector looks bright. “Green jobs are expected to grow to nearly 24 million, accounting for 14% of total US jobs by 2030,” David Alexandru Timis said in a report from World Economic Forum. “The largest job gains are expected to occur in electrical efficiency, power generation and the automotive industry. Combined with grid modernization, they account for 75% of the projected 13.3 million new job gains.”
These jobs are expected to replace the 2.7 million jobs in the oil and gas field that will be lost as the world moves away from fossil fuels as an energy source.