PEOPLE will today take to the streets of Shipley to highlight the importance of "green" jobs to Bradford's future.

New research shows that by embracing green infrastructure such as solar energy and energy efficiency, around 7,300 new jobs could be created in the District in the next two years.

The date, compiled by Green New Deal UK, claims that these jobs could make up for the predicted 5,200 permanent job losses caused by the Covid pandemic in Bradford.

The new jobs could include 1,600 in Shipley and 1,700 in Keighley.

The data includes jobs in sectors like solar energy, offshore wind, social care and energy efficiency.

Ludi Simpson, who audited the figures for Bradford, said “These are the jobs that would be created by tackling the climate emergency that national and local government have declared. The jobs include flood defence and prevention in response to the Aire Valley flooding we have begun to experience regularly.

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“They include jobs in public transport to allow the shift from individual to shared transport that must happen if carbon emissions are to reduce enough. And they include the caring jobs that an ageing population requires - and Bradford has an ageing population like elsewhere in Britain.”

Previous research from Green New Deal UK found that 1.2m green jobs could be created throughout Britain in the next two years at a cost of around £68bn - far less than the £100bn infrastructure investment commitment made last year.

Paul McHugh, local organiser, said: “Our research shows that you can tackle unemployment and create jobs when you are tackling climate change.

“We know that we can’t afford not to do this. There’s an unemployment crisis and a climate crisis and a Green New Deal can create thousands of good green jobs right here in Bradford.

"We all know that climate change is going to have a horrifying impact unless we do the work needed to avert it, and we can’t let people just fall by the wayside.

“The Government could invest in these green jobs right now to boost our economic recovery but they are refusing to. If you compare what we are spending to France and Germany and the US we are falling behind what is really needed to tackle unemployment and the recession, let alone sort out climate change."