US Stimulus Money to provide training for thousands of low-carbon jobs in deprived communities

The funds are part of $150 million in grants as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) signed by President Obama in February 2009. The "Pathways Out of Poverty" grants -- as the group of funding awards is known -- will support programs that help disadvantaged populations find ways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency through employment in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

"These Pathways Out of Poverty grants will help workers in disadvantaged communities gain access to the good, safe and prosperous jobs of the 21st century green economy,"said Solis. "Green jobs present tremendous opportunities for people who have the core skills and competencies needed in such well-paying and rapidly growing industries as energy efficiency and renewable energy."

The GCN's latest publication looks at the prospects for low-carbon job creation in eight countries, including the US. It argues that strong government policies and targeted programmes, such as the Pathway's Out of poverty grant scheme, are crucial if the economic opportunities of the low-carbon transition are to be achieved and fairly distributed throughout society.