Green jobs boom

Greener company initiatives urged by organisations like the United Nations will results in more jobs, research has suggested.

A US study estimates $22 billion (£11.2 billion) will be spent on going green by 2017, which would create 298,000 jobs each year.

Geneva-based International Labour Organization (ILO) has even outlined a geen jobs initiative to support environmentally-friendly moves to better practices.

More green jobs would compensate for the slump in employment in the fossil fuels industry.

An estimated 3.2 million people worldwide work in renewables or supplier industries, according to alternative news site Alternet .

They include 624,000 in the solar thermal sector, 300,000 in wind power and 170,000 in the solar PV industry.

More than a million people work in biomass and bio fuels while small-scale hydropower employs 39,000 and geothermal 25,000.

Government partnerships with private sector energy providers would provide new jobs.

The UN has faced opposition from developing countries during green talks over fear restrictions would stymie economic growth.