Creating fulfilling jobs and restoring the landscape ecosystem are only two of the drivers behind the 'Aussie Clean Jobs Plan' economic model prepared by AlphaBeta and commissioned by the Climate Council.
The model identified opportunities where regional and rural Australia could benefit in the short-term leading to long-term possibilities to improve the lifestyle of people whilst also cleaning up the environment.
Key findings of the report noted up to 15,000 jobs across Australia could be created in large-scale renewable energy, including solar and wind farms, upgrading transmission infrastructure and adding utility-scale batteries.
A further 12,000 jobs could be created in ecosystem restoration including 5,000 in Queensland, while thousands of jobs could be created in the collection and processing of organic waste; making homes and public buildings more energy efficient; expanding urban and peri-urban green spaces; community scale energy storage and generation; green hydrogen and expanding electric vehicle infrastructure.
Climate Council member Greg Bourne said the report was commissioned by the Climate Council in the determination of getting as many people into jobs as quickly as possible while reducing the economic and social impact caused by climate change.
Mr Bourne has many years experience in the energy and renewable energy world and was concerned for those who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 lockdown.
"We wanted things to start quickly, in some cases jobs will be short term while others will be long term," he said.
"We are not suggesting projects such as Snowy Hydro 2 but tasks like repairing fences after the bushfires.
"They are necessary and need to be done now.
"We want to help people recover their original livelihoods and build resilient communities across rural and regional Australia,"
Other projects identified by Mr Bourne as worthy of consideration included the restoration of waterways, the continued need for conservation of ecosystems and the rehabilitation of family lifestyles.
"It is very clear governments are prepared to back the community with large amounts of money supporting communities devastated by bushfire, drought and COVID-19 and the Climate Council has offered a suite of possibilities which fit within policy structures," he said.
"We have the opportunity to build for a better future."
Indeed, fellow member of the council, Professor Lesley Hughes thought the report indicated a 'win-win' situation for the entire community.
"We know governments are spending a lot of money to divert an economic crisis, but the pandemic provides a pivot point to develop new ways of working, new ways of producing energy and a more hopeful future," she said.
"The report identified 12 different categories of jobs that if all governments and businesses chose to support could provide a lot of jobs quickly."
We know governments are spending a lot of money to divert an economic crisis, but the pandemic provides a pivot point to develop new ways of working, new ways of producing energy and a more hopeful future
- Professor Lesley Hughes, Climate Council member
Professor Hughes pointed out that the proposal as put forward by the Climate Council is a three-year plan where a lot of low-skilled jobs could employ a lot of people who would then be upskilled to meet future demand.
"There could be many benefits from this proposal," she said.
"The report envisages a lot of ecological restoration jobs, which will benefit the landscape, along with increasing carbon-sequestration and restoring the landscape."
Professor Hughes was keen to make the point our communities are at the fork in the road, but we do have options to go forward.
"Let's not waste this opportunity to do something new and better," she urged.
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