DOE Working on Green Employment Initiative

Iran's Department of Environment is drafting a "green employment plan" in line with the government's policy of ditching the oil-dependent economy in favor of a green one, the country's top environment official said.

"We are currently working with government entities to prepare the plan to include all relevant sectors," said Massoumeh Ebtekar, the head of the DOE, during the High-level Climate Change Conference on Sunday.

Ebtekar noted that Iran is seeking collaboration with the European Union to help meet the goals outlined in the sixth five-year economic development plan (2017-22).

"Developing a low-carbon and green economy is among the key objectives of the economic plan," she said.

EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete, who delivered a speech at the conference, said the EU "will provide financial and technical support to Tehran" to meet its carbon reduction goals.

Green jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are classified as jobs in business that produce goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources or jobs in which workers' duties involve making their establishments' production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources.

These definitions include jobs that seek to use or develop renewable forms of energy (i.e. wind, hydropower, geothermal, wind, landfill gas and municipal solid waste) as well as increase their efficiency. Under the green jobs domain, education, training and public awareness are also included. These jobs seek to enforce regulations, support education and increase public influence for the benefit of the environment.

The environment sector has the dual benefit of mitigating environmental challenges and helping boost economic growth.