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Publication launch: Measuring and Modelling Circular Jobs

Facilitating a just transition through circular economy strategies | 29/10/2024

Transitioning to a circular economy presents significant opportunities for job creation, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing resource efficiency, making businesses more sustainable and competitive. The ILO estimates a potential growth of six million jobs through activities like recycling and repair. However, informed policies are needed to ensure job quality and environmental sustainability.

People are central to the circular economy, yet their roles, job types, and working conditions remain largely unknown. Released in October, the “Measuring and Modelling Circular Jobs” report emphasizes the importance of data in understanding people’s contributions to facilitate a just transition through circular economy strategies.

Produced by the Circular Jobs initiative partners and benefited from PAGE support, it highlights the need for clear definitions and robust data collection to measure circular economy employment. While progress has been made in the Global North, there is a critical need to expand research globally for inclusive policies.

The Circular Jobs Initiative works with stakeholders in governments and industry to understand the people, skills, and enabling conditions needed to make sure steps taken to tackle environmental issues are approached fairly and with people in mind.

In this interview, Esther Goodwin Brown, Circular Jobs Programme Lead at the Circle Economy Foundation and Casper Nicholas Edmonds, ILO Head of the Extractives, Energy and Manufacturing Unit, tell us more about this publication, which aligns with ILO’s activities under PAGE.

Both have played a key role in this report: Esther Goodwin Brown is one of the lead authors of the report and Casper N. Edmonds one of the contributors.

Measuring and Modelling Circular Jobs

This report is part of the wider work programme Jobs in the Circular Economy, a joint initiative by the ILO, the World Bank Group and Circle Economy Foundation, which aims to create evidence and tools to unlock the potential of the circular economy for promoting  innovation, sustainable enterprise, and ensuring decent work for all.

The Jobs in the Circular Economy initiative aims to put data and practical tools in the hands of policymakers and decision-makers to inform and support pathways towards more socially fair and just environmental and economic policies and interventions. To achieve this—and with it, a better understanding of employment in the circular economy—there are steps that can be taken in the short- and long-term.

Read the report

The study is a key steppingstone to what we have dreamt of for the past three years. [...] Together with our PAGE partners, the World Bank Group and Circle Economy Foundation we aim to expand the knowledge base on jobs in the circular economy [...].

Casper N. Edmonds, Head of the Extractives, Energy and Manufacturing Unit, ILO
Casper N. Edmonds, Head of the Extractives, Energy and Manufacturing Unit, ILO

There is therefore a dearth of studies focused on understanding who and how many workers are already working the circular economy today, meaning that we are flying blind when it comes to knowing what the impact of current circular economy policies will be on workers.

Esther Goodwin Brown, Circular Jobs Programme Lead at the Circle Economy Foundation
Esther Goodwin Brown, Circular Jobs Programme Lead at the Circle Economy Foundation

What is the difference between green jobs and circular jobs?

Esther Goodwin Brown:

Whilst green jobs contribute to preserving or restoring the environment, circular jobs contribute to closing material cycles, by extending their lifetime and creating renewed value from resources that would otherwise be lost from the economy, by providing circular products and services.

 

Why is this publication important?

Casper N. Edmonds:

We are extremely grateful to PAGE for the collaboration and support for this publication, which proves to policymakers that it will be possible to generate much needed statistics and modelled estimates on jobs in the circular economy. Such evidence is key to better policy-making and to avoiding any unintended consequences or negative impacts as the transition to the circular economy gathers pace.

How can circular economy impact positively social and economic progress?

Casper N. Edmonds:

In addition to addressing the triple planetary crisis, the transition to circularity has the potential to create millions of jobs and to bring about more sustainable production and consumption patterns. For this to happen, however, we must ensure that the transition to the circular economy becomes just and job rich. We must carefully manage the enormous labour market transformation that will accompany the transition and profoundly change where and how production, repair, recycling and remanufacturing will take place. The only way we can harness the potential of the transition and simultaneously ensure that no one will be left behind is to step up our joint support for those who make the circular economy work today, namely governments, employers and workers.

What are the key findings of the publication?

Esther Goodwin Brown:

The study found that there are a range of ways that jobs in the circular economy are currently being defined, measured and modelled. We found that most studies in this area have been modelling studies, that project changes in employment as a result of different scenarios for how the circular economy. There is therefore a dearth of studies focused on understanding who and how many workers are already working the circular economy today, meaning that we are flying blind when it comes to knowing what the impact of current circular economy policies will be on workers. This is why we have prioritised producing a global baseline of circular jobs as part of the next phase, to provide a clearer picture of who is working in the circular economy – both formally and informally – today and create a stronger basis of policy making

To fully unlock the potential of this new economy, we must place people at the heart of the circular economy and promote a transition that is job-rich, just and inclusive. [...] This report is a first step towards developing evidence-based research and tools to assist policy makers in shaping circular economy policies that help advance decent work and social justice.

Frank Hagemann, Director, Sectoral Policies Department, ILO
Frank Hagemann, Director, Sectoral Policies Department, ILO

As more circular processes are adopted, the quantity, quality, and nature of jobs will also adapt. These emerging jobs must be accompanied by labor market policies which ensure that jobs created are not only good for the environment but, also good for workers.

Namita Datta, Programme Manager, Solutions for Youth Employment, World Bank Group
Namita Datta, Programme Manager, Solutions for Youth Employment, World Bank Group

Could you tell us more about the advisory board of international experts?

Esther Goodwin Brown:

We are thrilled with the fantastic Advisory Board that will be supporting us in the next phase of the project. It is made up of 14 experts from research institutions, multilateral organisations and statistical bureaus from around the world, all with vital expertise that will help us to create accurate estimates of work in the circular economy that supports inclusive and just action to progress global progress on circularity.

What would be the next milestone?

Casper N. Edmonds:

The study is a key steppingstone to what we have dreamt of for the past three years: to publish next year – in 2025 – the world’s first authoritative estimates on jobs in the circular economy. But our aspirations go beyond the publication of these important estimates. T

Together with our PAGE partners, the World Bank Group and Circle Economy Foundation we aim to expand the knowledge base on jobs in the circular economy in three dimensions.

First and foremost, we aim to publish updated modelled estimates on jobs in the circular economy so that we can monitor progress over time.

Secondly, we hope to complete these reports with models of how we can grow green jobs in different circular economy policy scenarios.

Finally, we are keen to complement such estimates with in-depth research on skills, opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, occupational safety and health, and workers’ rights among other decent work challenges and opportunities.

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