Employment effects of environmental technology and environment-orientated services in Germany

Abstract

"This paper gives an overview of the empirical findings concerning the employment effects of environmental technology and environment-orientated services in Germany. After this, methodical approaches and continuing project plans are explained. The reasons for the study are theoretical observations on branches of industry that are confronted with expanding demand and can use rapid technological progress. It is expected that such branches of industry can reduce the employment problems of highly developed economies and are therefore highly relevant for measures of economic and structural policy. This is a thesis which has not yet undergone empirical examination and which makes studies on the environment sector seem worthwhile. An overview of the results from previous empirical studies provides a very differentiated picture, which is not surprising owing to different demarcations and definitions of employment in environmental protection. Thus in the context of a study commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment a 2.7% share of the entire labour force was calculated for employees in the field of environmental protection. Most of the available studies come to the same result that environmental technology and environmental services constitute a major employment factor in Germany. The employment effects of additive and integrated technology appear to vary. The widespread opinion that integrated environmental protection will replace additive environmental protection to a large extent in the future is not supported by empirical studies. It can be seen, however, that above all highly qualified employees benefit from the production of integrated environmental protection technology. An account of the methodology used so far to record the employment effects of the production of environmental technology and environmental services shows that an exact calculation of such effects runs into difficulties. Especially the collection of empirical data in the field of environmental protection services can definitely be improved upon. Analysis of the employment effects of integrated environmental technology, too, is still in its infancy. Previous experiences are flowing into the conception of new project plans. In this way the uncertainties should be reduced and gaps in research on the employment effects of environmental technology and environmental services should be closed up. From the results of the project it is possible to derive consequences for the economy as a whole and for regional labour markets." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Blien, U., Hauff, M. & Horbach, J. (2000): Beschäftigungseffekte von Umwelttechnik und umweltorientierten Dienstleistungen in Deutschland. In: Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Vol. 33, No. 1, p. 126-135.