Economist Says Green Economy Transition Can Open 19.4 Million Jobs, Here's The Explanation

Center of Economics and Law Studies (Celios) economist Bhima Yudhistira (right). (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - Economist and Director of the Center of Economics and Law Studies (Celios) Bhima Yudhistira said, there needs to be consistency from Indonesia to make the transition to a green economy.

Bhima assessed that this could have a positive impact on labor absorption in the country.

"If you want to open more than 17 million jobs, the answer is that (Indonesia) must consistently make the transition to a green economy, because there are 19.4 million jobs in various sectors and have a very large multiplier impact," Bhima said on the agenda. Greenpeace Indonesia in Jakarta, Tuesday, December 19.

Bhima said the modeling results carried out by his party showed the positive impact of the green economy transition seen in various sectors, especially in sectors related to the new and renewable energy transition (EBT).

For example, employment absorption in the agricultural, forestry and fishery sectors in the extractive economic structure is 1.21 million.

Meanwhile, if the transition to a green economy, the number could increase to 3.89 million jobs.

The same thing also happened in the manufacturing sector, which is in the extractive economic structure, the number of work absorption is 1.36 million.

Meanwhile, the green economy scheme is considered capable of absorbing up to 3.05 million jobs.

"There will be a very large multiplier impact. Salaries will be better, jobs will also be more widely available. Compared to us not changing our economic structure, the business field is too dependent on sectors whose basis is extractive," he said.

Therefore, Bhima hopes that presidential and vice presidential candidates can pay more adequate attention to efforts to transition the green economy.

So far, Bhima assesses that the three pairs of candidates (paslon) have raised the issue of job opening.

However, he stressed the importance of awareness of each candidate pair to make more concrete and serious policies related to the issue.

For example, by appointing the Minister of Manpower who understands the issue of the transition of workers which is also accompanied by the creation of a roadmap for the transition of workers.

The roadmap needs to discuss in detail the targets of each employment policy.

"Who is the job field open to? For local communities or foreign workers? For undergraduate, undergraduate or junior high school education? There needs to be a clear transition roadmap, as well as vocational preparation, so that when a job request is created, the workforce is also ready," he said.