Building a Green Jobs Economy: Global Implications Emerging from the UK Experience

Comprehending relationships between the contextual effects of government roles vis-à-vis the climate crisis and what they mean for human resource management (HRM) research and practice matters, as 40% of global employment relies on a sustainable environment (Baldry and Hyman, 2021, p.86), and International Labour Organisation (ILO) data shows 1.2 billion jobs depending on nature (Lieuw-Kie-Song, 2021). Here, citizens tend to look to governments as having agency to act on an appropriate scale to reduce carbon emissions (CAST, 2021, p.2). Government action is therefore needed to limit carbon emissions, reduce human deaths arising, combat global climate injustice, and promote social equity for affected groups (Lazzarini, 2021, p.1). Ergo, some experts call for a decent job and a healthy environment to become human rights (Baldry and Hyman, 2021, p.89). The UK political agenda is shaping green job creation, aiming for eco-friendly employment. The country, along with New Zealand, passed legislation requiring net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 (Bushell-Embling, 2020, p.4; GOV.UK, 2020). However, the UK green jobs plan, initially proposed by leader Johnson, faces challenges like marginalized union and employee voices, implementation issues, and a private equity focus.