Millions of jobs could be created to tackle global climate change, according to an ILR School report unveiled at United Nations headquarters Sept. 24. But the report, "Green Jobs: Toward Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World," also finds that some jobs in the new green economy will be "dirty, dangerous and difficult" -- particularly low-paying jobs in agriculture and recycling.

The U.N. Environment Programme commissioned and funded the report by the Worldwatch Institute and the Global Labor Institute at Cornell's ILR School as part of its Green Jobs Initiative. Nine months in the making, "Green Jobs" is the first comprehensive database of the green economy and is aimed at helping policymakers prepare for the U.N.'s 2009 climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Members of the international development community, researchers and others were debriefed at a Carnegie Council Policy Dialogue meeting in New York City by members of the Green Jobs report team, including Cornell authors Jill Kubit, assistant director of the Global Labor Institute, and Sean Sweeney, institute director.

Mary Catt is a staff writer for the ILR School.