Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Green Jobs Create Negative Job Growth

Citing a Spanish study, a Bloomberg article reports that green job creation programs actually cost jobs elsewhere in the economy. I haven't been able to find the study to see for myself but some of the point raised in various news articles citing the study have been rational. Basically there is one conclusion: subsidies don't work very well. The part I find odd is that when it is applied to the green economy it becomes a negative news story but there is no shortage of "stimulus" and bailout money. I fail to see the difference between that and green job subsidies. Competition is what will make or break technology and industries. By continually financing failing sectors and companies we build failure in to the economy and then forget how to get by without the extra money. Either way we're missing the point. We need to redevelop our economy in a more sustainable fashion. We don't have enough money or resources to continue this way.

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