Characterizing Green and Brown Employment in India

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The transition towards sustainable development in India is expected to significantly alter economic activities and labor markets, impacting the demand for skills and creating both green and brown jobs [6][10] - Green jobs account for approximately 5.9% of total employment in India, while brown jobs represent about 4.6% [15][43] - The Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ) has been established to identify green jobs and the necessary skills for these occupations, focusing on sectors such as renewable energy, waste management, and construction [13][15] Summary by Sections Introduction - Climate change is a critical issue affecting various aspects of well-being, prompting the need for sustainable development strategies [10] - The transition to sustainability will create new job opportunities while potentially displacing existing brown jobs [11][12] Measuring Green and Brown Jobs - Green jobs are defined as those that positively impact the environment, while brown jobs are associated with pollution-intensive industries [17][18] - The report employs a task content approach to measure green and brown jobs, which focuses on the specific tasks performed within occupations [20][23] Data and Definitions - The analysis utilizes data from the 2019-20 Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which is nationally representative and includes detailed labor market information [28][30] - The SCGJ's national definition of green jobs includes 44 specific occupations, while brown jobs are classified based on Vona et al.'s (2018) taxonomy [23][25] Patterns and Trends in Employment - Green jobs are predominantly found in construction (39%), manufacturing (21%), and agriculture (14%), while brown jobs are mainly concentrated in manufacturing (53%) and construction (30%) [49][51] - The percentage of green jobs has increased from 5% to 6% over the past decade, indicating a positive trend in sustainable employment [47] Worker Characteristics - Green and brown jobs are primarily held by younger, male workers, with green jobs showing a significant wage premium compared to brown jobs [15][64] - The gender disparity is notable, with 78% of green jobs and 79% of brown jobs occupied by men [65]