Labor freed up from fossil fuel industries may help degrowth

k 2024

Labor freed up from fossil fuel industries may help degrowth

ČERNÝ, Martin; Eva FRAŇKOVÁ; Martin ČECH a Alena PAVLOK

Základní údaje

Originální název

Labor freed up from fossil fuel industries may help degrowth

Název česky

Pracovní síla uvolněná z fosilních odvětví a její možný přínos pro nerůst

Autoři

ČERNÝ, Martin; Eva FRAŇKOVÁ ; Martin ČECH a Alena PAVLOK

Vydání

10th International Degrowth Conference and 15th Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics, 2024

Další údaje

Jazyk

angličtina

Typ výsledku

Prezentace na konferencích

Obor

50704 Environmental sciences

Stát vydavatele

Španělsko

Utajení

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Označené pro přenos do RIV

Organizační jednotka

Fakulta sociálních studií

Klíčová slova česky

nerůst, odklon od fosilních paliv, spravedlivá transformace, pracovní síla, pracovní kvalifikace, soběstačnost

Klíčová slova anglicky

Degrowth; Fossil fuel phase-out; Just transition; Labor; Skills; Subsistence

Změněno: 22. 11. 2024 00:25, Mgr. Eva Fraňková, Ph.D.

Anotace

V originále

Transitioning away from fossil fuels is freeing up a significant amount of labor globally. Just transition literature often implicitly assumes that the freed-up labor will be mobilized in green industries. However, this may be at odds with the actual skills of workers in the fossil fuel industries, and may also face a geographical mismatch between labor demand and supply. At the same time, socio-ecological transformation in the understanding of degrowth means a much greater focus on more labor-intensive (e.g., craft) and geographically flexible, more localized production for own or community consumption. Shifting away from fossil fuels is particularly urgent for countries whose economies are still largely structurally dependent on them, such as those in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). A debate has recently emerged about how degrowth can fit into the context of these countries, for example in the light of a stronger tradition of subsistence activities than in the core economies of the Global North. Widespread traditions of allotment gardening, forest fruits gathering, do-it-yourself or repair activities prevalent in the CEE countries fit very well the degrowth principle of conviviality (meaningful and friendly interactions with others to, among others, meet one’s needs). To explore the option space for such a socio-ecological transformation in the CEE context in terms of labor as a key production factor, we investigate whether the skills that will be freed up by the phasing out of fossil fuels match the labor requirements in line with the economic activities envisaged by degrowth. As an illustrative example, we take the coal phase-out as a key part of the post-carbon transition in the Czech Republic, which has committed to end coal mining by 2033. After examining the number of jobs currently at risk by sector (in coal mining and in the most closely related downstream and upstream sectors) and occupational categories, we compare their skill requirements with the skill requirements of other jobs and work activities that do not necessarily take the form of paid employment. Finally, we classify the identified skill-near alternatives according to their correspondence to the work activities envisaged in degrowth. We conclude that a number of alternative work activities exist that can be used to encourage local development in line with degrowth and convivial principles, such as in agriculture, forestry, construction, cultural and recreational activities, health and social care.

Citovat

ČERNÝ, Martin; Eva FRAŇKOVÁ; Martin ČECH a Alena PAVLOK. Labor freed up from fossil fuel industries may help degrowth. In 10th International Degrowth Conference and 15th Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics. 2024.

@proceedings{2453797,
   author = {Černý, Martin and Fraňková, Eva and Čech, Martin and Pavlok, Alena},
   booktitle = {10th International Degrowth Conference and 15th Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics},
   keywords = {Degrowth; Fossil fuel phase-out; Just transition; Labor; Skills; Subsistence},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Labor freed up from fossil fuel industries may help degrowth},
   year = {2024}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2453797
AU  - Černý, Martin - Fraňková, Eva - Čech, Martin - Pavlok, Alena
PY  - 2024
TI  - Labor freed up from fossil fuel industries may help degrowth
KW  - Degrowth
KW  - Fossil fuel phase-out
KW  - Just transition
KW  - Labor
KW  - Skills
KW  - Subsistence
N2  - Transitioning away from fossil fuels is freeing up a significant amount of labor globally. Just transition literature often implicitly assumes that the freed-up labor will be mobilized in green industries. However, this may be at odds with the actual skills of workers in the fossil fuel industries, and may also face a geographical mismatch between labor demand and supply. At the same time, socio-ecological transformation in the understanding of degrowth means a much greater focus on more labor-intensive (e.g., craft) and geographically flexible, more localized production for own or community consumption. Shifting away from fossil fuels is particularly urgent for countries whose economies are still largely structurally dependent on them, such as those in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). A debate has recently emerged about how degrowth can fit into the context of these countries, for example in the light of a stronger tradition of subsistence activities than in the core economies of the Global North. Widespread traditions of allotment gardening, forest fruits gathering, do-it-yourself or repair activities prevalent in the CEE countries fit very well the degrowth principle of conviviality (meaningful and friendly interactions with others to, among others, meet one’s needs). To explore the option space for such a socio-ecological transformation in the CEE context in terms of labor as a key production factor, we investigate whether the skills that will be freed up by the phasing out of fossil fuels match the labor requirements in line with the economic activities envisaged by degrowth. As an illustrative example, we take the coal phase-out as a key part of the post-carbon transition in the Czech Republic, which has committed to end coal mining by 2033. After examining the number of jobs currently at risk by sector (in coal mining and in the most closely related downstream and upstream sectors) and occupational categories, we compare their skill requirements with the skill requirements of other jobs and work activities that do not necessarily take the form of paid employment. Finally, we classify the identified skill-near alternatives according to their correspondence to the work activities envisaged in degrowth. We conclude that a number of alternative work activities exist that can be used to encourage local development in line with degrowth and convivial principles, such as in agriculture, forestry, construction, cultural and recreational activities, health and social care.
ER  -

ČERNÝ, Martin; Eva FRAŇKOVÁ; Martin ČECH a Alena PAVLOK. Labor freed up from fossil fuel industries may help degrowth. In \textit{10th International Degrowth Conference and 15th Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics}. 2024.

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