Thousands of Fife workers would need 'reskilling' for a green economy, study finds

But thousands of other roles would be at risk, with workers needing new skills and training.

The study – published by council leaders’ group UK100 – is calling for a “Green New Deal” to drive the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis while creating a zero-carbon society by 2050.

An estimated 14,686 jobs would be generated or would be readily adaptable to more sustainable industries in Fife, according to the analysis.

Such jobs would come to make up 11 per cent of the local landscape in a green revolution.

The findings – based on figures compiled by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment – also suggest how people in various sectors might have to retrain.

This could include a car mechanic learning to repair electric vehicles, roofers becoming solar panel installers, or oil and gas technicians transferring to offshore wind farms.

In Fife, 13,683 such roles would be affected– fewer than the number that would be created or would see a boost, meaning the area would see a positive impact overall.

Across Great Britain, around 3.1 million – roughly one in ten – jobs will require retraining, while nearly the same number could be created or would become desirable to employers based on existing skills.

Polly Billington, director of UK100, said: “We need to ensure this is not a car or carbon-led recovery.

“There is a huge opportunity here to skill up our workforce and invest in the jobs we need right now.

“A New Deal for Green Skills and Growth will kick start the recovery, ensure we are internationally competitive and put us on a path to a cleaner, greener economy, so we can meet the net-zero target.”

According to the research, the most at-risk sectors in terms of the number of jobs that will require retraining in ​Fife are:

Manufacturing (2565)

Construction (2220)

Transport and storage, including postal (1452)

​But there was some overlap in the areas flagged as standing to benefit the most in terms of high demand and new roles:

Manufacturing (4920)

Construction (2258)

Public administration and defence (1242)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently set out plans to fuel the economic recovery as the country begins to emerge from the pandemic, including a promise to “build back greener”.

But UK100 said the Government had committed five times as much public money for roadbuilding over the next five years than for buses, cycling and walking – £27 billion compared to just £5 billon.

A Treasury spokesman said: “Throughout this crisis, we’ve continued to take our environmental responsibilities seriously and remain committed to meeting our climate change and wider environmental targets, including our commitment to net zero by 2050.

“As we take action to rebuild our economy we will aim to drive clean, sustainable and inclusive growth across all regions of the UK.”

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