01.07.20
Government to create thousands of green jobs with £40m fund
The Government has announced plans to create thousands of green jobs with a £40m Green Recovery Challenge Fund.
It comes as the nation is promised a ‘green recovery’ from the coronavirus pandemic, and will support charities and environmental organisations to pick up projects across the country to restore nature and fight climate change.
The £40m fund will allow the creation of up to 3,000 jobs and safeguard a further 2,000 in areas such as protecting species, combatting climate change with the natural world and connecting people with the outdoors.
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Environment Secretary George Eustice said:
“Our ambitious green recovery package will deliver a steady stream of shovel-ready environmental projects, protecting nature at the same time as creating and retaining thousands of new jobs.
“Many of us have become even more appreciative of nature during lockdown and our Green Recovery Challenge Fund will help charities and other organisations employ more people to work on tree-planting, nature restoration and helping the public enjoy the outdoors.”
Funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) using £10m from the Nature Recovery Fund and £30m of Nature for Climate Funding, the challenge fund will be inviting organisations to bid for the support in due course.
Other jobs such as ecologist, surveyor, nature reserve staff and education workers in environment organisations are expected to be created, whilst also supporting the supply chain for agricultural engineering, horticulture, equipment and seed supply.
Along with the announcement, Boris Johnson also confirmed Britain’s commitment to reforesting, by outlining plans to plant 75,000 acres of trees every year by 2025, saying he wanted to “build back a greener and more beautiful Britain.”
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