Green Stimulus in a Post-Pandemic Recovery: The Role of Skills for a Resilient Recovery

15 Pages Posted: 28 Jul 2020

See all articles by Ziqiao Chen

Ziqiao Chen

Syracuse University - Department of Public Administration and International Affairs; Syracuse University - Center for Policy Research

Giovanni Marin

University of Urbino

David Popp

Syracuse University - Department of Public Administration; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Francesco Vona

Observatoire Français des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE) - Department for Research on Innovation and Competition

Date Written: 2020

Abstract

As nations struggle to restart their economy after COVID-19 lockdowns, calls to include green investments in a pandemic-related stimulus are growing. Yet little research provides evidence of the effectiveness of a green stimulus. We begin by summarizing recent research on the effectiveness of the green portion of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on employment growth. Green investments are most effective in communities whose workers have the appropriate "green" skills. We then provide new evidence on the skills requirements of both green and brown occupations, as well as from occupations at risk of job losses due to COVID-19, to illustrate which workers are most likely to benefit from a pandemic-related green stimulus. We find similarities between some energy sector workers and green jobs, but a poor match between green jobs and occupations at risk due to COVID-19. Finally, we provide suggestive evidence on the potential for job training programs to help ease the transition to a green economy.

JEL Classification: E240, E620, H540, H720, Q580

Suggested Citation

Chen, Ziqiao and Marin, Giovanni and Popp, David C. and Vona, Francesco, Green Stimulus in a Post-Pandemic Recovery: The Role of Skills for a Resilient Recovery (2020). CESifo Working Paper No. 8419, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3653943 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3653943

Ziqiao Chen (Contact Author)

Syracuse University - Department of Public Administration and International Affairs ( email )

NY
United States

Syracuse University - Center for Policy Research ( email )

Syracuse, NY 13244
United States

Giovanni Marin

University of Urbino ( email )

Via Saffi 2
Urbino, Pesaro-Urbino 61029
Italy

David C. Popp

Syracuse University - Department of Public Administration ( email )

Syracuse, NY
United States
315-443-2482 (Phone)
315-443-1075 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/dcpopp/index.html

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Francesco Vona

Observatoire Français des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE) - Department for Research on Innovation and Competition ( email )

250 rue Albert Einstein
Valbonne, 06560
France

HOME PAGE: http://www.ofce.sciences-po.fr/ofce/dric.htm

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