The estimate in the report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) also indicates that the green economy has the potential to reduce labor costs arising from modern environmental problems, such as climate change and pollution of ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean. For the ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, “the challenges posed by environmental sustainability are one of the powerful forces shaping the future of work in this region, which is why it is necessary to take action to maximize its benefits and effectively address its threats.”
ILO expert on labor econometrics Guillermo Montt, who helped prepare the report, says that “in Latin America and the Caribbean, at least 1 million jobs will be created as a result of the use of renewable energy, greater energy efficiency in housing, and increased demand for electric cars and other technologies that change consumption patterns to combat climate change.” Data collected for the report indicate that the region could generate another 4 million jobs with the development of the so-called “circular economy.” This economic model promotes the reuse, repair, recycling, remanufacturing, and increased durability of products, as an alternative to the linear model of extraction, manufacture, use, and disposal that has prevailed in recent decades.
Do you know what Circular Economy is?
A Circular Economy proposes an immediate change in production and consumption patterns that still follow a linear pattern: extraction of natural resources, manufacturing, distribution, use or consumption, and disposal. Thinking about the entire product, connecting the end of the production line to its beginning, the circular economy aims to guarantee, in the long term, the life cycle not only of products and services, but, mainly, of living beings.
Thinking about this scenario, the CEBDS created an e-book so that you understand the concept of Circular Economy and the application of reverse logistics in its context; learn about the application and benefits in waste management and can check out the successful actions carried out by large companies associated with CEBDS.
