Measuring the Green Economy

This report from the U.S. Commerce Department measures the size and economic impacts of green products and services.

The report looks at data from 2007 and finds that green jobs represented at the broadest sense 2 percent of the economy. Among the other findings of the report:

• The number of green jobs ranged from 1.8 million jobs under the narrow definition to 2.4 million jobs under the broad definition.

• The services sector accounted for roughly three-fourths of green business activity; manufacturing accounted for about 13%. Construction and agriculture made up the remaining share.

• Energy conservation, resource conservation and pollution control accounted for the predominant share of green business activities, making up about 80% to 90% of green shipments/receipts and employment.

• Between 2002 and 2007, the share of green shipments and green jobs in manufacturing remained fairly constant, ranging between 0.9% and 1.3%. Green manufacturing jobs fell over this period as did jobs in all manufacturing.