EU’s green jobs up by 2.2 million over the last decade
The EU’s green economy is booming, with employment in the environmental sector surging to 5.8 million full-time equivalents in 2023. According to new data published today by Eurostat, this represents an increase of 4.2% compared to 2022 and a total addition of 2.2 million jobs since 2014, growing at an average annual rate of 5.5%.
These "green jobs" span two main areas: environmental protection activities—such as waste and wastewater management—and resource management activities, which include renewable energy production, energy-efficient construction, and forest management.
Alongside job growth, the sector’s economic output has nearly doubled over the past decade. In 2023, the EU environmental economy generated €1.33 trillion, a 4.3% increase from the previous year. Since 2014, output has grown by an average of 7.9% annually, up from €0.68 trillion. These figures are drawn from the Eurostat environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts.