MORE than 12,000 ‘green’ jobs could be created in Cornwall to replace those lost to Covid, the Green New Deal movement has said.

Data compiled by Green New Deal UK shows that Cornwall is likely to suffer over 9,467 permanent job losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, losses which it says could be replaced entirely with jobs in new and existing industries.

These include sectors like solar energy, offshore wind, and energy efficiency - all of which are essential to the UK meeting its national and international climate targets.

An investment in the care sector could also provide much needed work for people left unemployed, says Green New Deal. This could help replace seasonal or short-term jobs that have relied on tourism and EU funding, with long term stable jobs.

“With Cornwall Council having declared a climate emergency, an ageing population that would benefit from investment in social care and houses in need of refit, this is a real opportunity for Cornwall,” said spokesperson Amy Hassall.

The UK Government this week said that a commitment to cutting carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 (compared to 1990 levels) will be made law. This is the world’s most ambitious carbon reduction target and will be achieved through actions including renewable energy, the decarbonisation of industry, and the creation of green jobs.

The Government has committed £4 billion to creating more than 250,000 green jobs – but the Green New Deal Movement says that more than ten times this amount of investment is needed. It says that £48.75bn across two years would create nearly 600,000 green infrastructure jobs straight away while helping us transition towards a green economy.

Meanwhile £20 bn across two years invested in the care sector would create 600,000 jobs over the next two years, and nearly 2 million permanent jobs into the future.

Green New Deal says that recent Government measures fly in the face of carbon reduction: and include “cutting air passenger duty on domestic flights, freezing fuel duty, investing £27 billion in a roads programme, trying to open a new coal mine and cutting £1.5 billion from the flagship home energy efficiency programme”.

Amy Hassall, local organiser, said: "Having witnessed first-hand so many people losing their jobs due to COVID and the need to tackle the climate crisis this seems like a no brainer.

“Our research shows that you can tackle unemployment and create jobs whilst tackling climate change at the same time.