Environmental sector accounts for 109 thousand full-time jobs
In 2007, there were 109 thousand full-time jobs in the environmental sector, an increase by 25 percent relative to 1995. The sector contributed nearly 2 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP), i.e. the market value of all goods and services produced in the Netherlands.
Employment in the environmental sector, 2007
Waste treatment and insulation improvement boost employment
Jobs in the environmental sector varied from recycling, environmental technology and second-hand shops to waste collection and soil sanitation projects. With 32 thousand labour years, insulation activities generate most jobs. Traditional environmental services, like waste collection and processing, also played an important role in the environmental sector accounting for 27 thousand labour years.
Employment in the environmental sector, 1995-2007
25 percent employment growth in environmental sector
Employment in the environmental sector has risen by 25 percent over the period 1995-2007. Recycling and environmental consultancy services have grown comparatively fast. More innovative environmental activities, like development of energy-saving technologies, renewable energy systems and environmental measuring equipment have also grown rapidly. Though above average, the growth rate of these activities is hardly reflected in the overall picture, because they constitute only a small part of the entire environmental sector. More traditional activities, like insulation improvement have grown much slower.
Share environmental sector in Dutch economy
Environmental sector accounts for 1.6 percent of total employment
The environmental sector accounts for 1.6 percent of total employment in the Netherlands. The growth of labour volume in the environmental sector was 8 percentage points above the overall employment growth in the period 1995-2007. Value added of the environmental sector in 2007 amounted to 11.1 billion euro, i.e. 2.0 percent of the GDP.
Maarten van Rossum and Isabel van Geloof