The quantitative and qualitative impacts of clean technologies on employment

While the ecological impacts of clean technologies are generally well known, the impact of clean technologies on employment is indeterminate from a theoretical point of view and also a question which needs to be answered empirically. This paper presents the results of a survey of companies in five European countries. While the quantitative impact on employment in companies adopting clean technologies is slightly positive, the main effects of clean technologies lie in the qualitative sphere. On the one hand, there are significant improvements in qualifications and physical elements of the working environment such as the reduction in noise and emissions. On the other hand, changes in the working organization are also significant. These changes particularly include more flexible working time schedules, contracts and working relations. Econometric estimations show that the effects are different according to the technologies adopted, the size and branch of the companies, the cleaner production programs involved, the motivation of companies to adopt clean technologies and finally, the extent to which employees could participate in the decision-making and adoption process. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.