THE ISSUES OF GREEN ECONOMY INNOVATIVENESS

Abstract

Broadly speaking, the green economy involves pro-environmental products and services, investments, economy sectors, public procurement contracts, and jobs. This is a new idea, both in terms of regulations supporting its development and of practical effects of the implementation of technologies and organisational solutions aimed at the protection of natural environment.
The possibility for obtaining new jobs thanks to the support of the green economy is the focus of various decision-making centres. The problem, however, is the lack of a thorough understanding of the potential existing in the developing green job market, particularly in rural areas, which hampers taking efficient measures.
The aim of the study was to indicate the determinants of and opportunities for the development of the green economy and green jobs in sectors related to the rural economy. The opinions presented in the study were obtained through interviews from a randomly selected group of 578 managers of “green economy”-related businesses operating in rural areas. The study participants are entrepreneurs employing workers and creating jobs in the following areas: agri-food processing, services, manufacturing, renewable energy sources, and tourism.
It can be concluded that, inter alia, despite the difficult situation in the labour market, and the problems with sales of products and services in the green economy sector, it should be expected that in the next few (3 to 5) years, the social demand for innovative products/services of this sector will increase.

Keywords: green economy, green jobs, rural areas, sustainable development of rural areas

Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2017.144