世界银行-南非绿色工作和工人概况：职业任务法（英）-2024.5-35页_743kb

Summary of "Profiling Green Jobs and Workers in South Africa: An Occupational Tasks Approach"

Introduction
This study profiles green jobs in the South African labor market using an occupational task-based approach. It aims to understand the nature and workforce of green jobs in preparation for the green economy transition, which is crucial amid climate change and high unemployment rates in South Africa. The research uses labor force survey data to identify and characterize green occupations.

Methodology
The study defines two types of green jobs: "strictly green" based on tasks directly linked to environmental sustainability, and "broadly green" tasks that could be green if green technologies are adopted. It adapts a green terms dictionary from international sources to the South African context and applies text analysis to occupational task descriptions from the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-88). Regression analyses examine factors influencing workers' presence in green jobs and wage premiums.

Key Findings

• Approximately 5.5% of South Africa's jobs are strictly green, while up to 32% are broadly green, with differences based on definition and occupation level.
• Green jobs are more prevalent in mid-level and elementary occupations, despite many being high-skilled and held by prime-age (25-44) male workers with tertiary education.
• Women and youth are underrepresented, while Black Africans are disproportionately involved in the greenest jobs, often with lower educational attainment.
• Greenest jobs include elementary roles like garbage collectors, with a significant wage premium for strictly green jobs; this premium diminishes with broader definitions.
• Green job share has remained stable and varies by industry, with manufacturing, utilities, and finance showing higher green employment.
• Over time, broadly green jobs increased slightly, possibly linked to policies like renewable energy programs, but strictly green jobs show little change.

Policy Recommendations

1. Upskill workforce: Develop targeted programs for green technologies to address skill shortages in both high-level and emerging green occupations.
2. Engage youth: Promote green careers through career counseling, scholarships, and inclusive employment initiatives.
3. Advance gender equality: Encourage women in STEM fields and STEM-oriented green jobs through education and mentorship programs.
4. Organize and support low-skilled workers: Enhance worker rights and conditions for those in elementary green jobs, such as waste pickers.
5. Improve data collection: Expand occupation-task databases and collaborate with academia and industry for better tracking of green jobs and transitions.