HomeMy WebLinkAboutBackupMiami Forever Carbon Neutral
Appendix A— New Green Economy Report
Miami Forever
Carbon Neutral:
Growing the New
Green Economy
Analysis of City of Miami's Green Economy
and Action Plan for Expansion
Page 62
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Executive Summary
Miami finds itself at a unique and consequential moment in time. With the impact of COVID-19 beginning
to wane, our City is preparing for economic recovery and growth. At the same time, challenges linked to
climate change and longstanding socioeconomic inequities threaten our communities and economy. As a
low-lying, subtropical, coastal city, Miami is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,
including rising sea levels, intensifying tropical storms, and increased extreme heat exposure. These
impacts disproportionately effect historically underinvested communities, which tend to be populated by
individuals that are low-income, predominantly Black, and recent immigrants (climate justice
communities), which serves to further amplify the City's wage disparity and higher unemployment rates
among Black and non -white Hispanic residents, both of which worsened during the height of the COVID-
19 pandemic. This convergence of factors underscores the immense need — and opportunity — for Miami
to create economic development policies and initiatives that address climate change, reduce
socioeconomic disparities, and increase economic resilience.
Our carbon mitigation and climate adaptation commitments are directly aligned with our goals to
reduce socioeconomic disparities and increase economic resilience. As we achieve our greenhouse
gas reduction (GHG) targets — of 60% GHG reduction below 2018 levels by 2035 and 100% GHG
reduction by 2050 - and adapt to other facets of climate change, we will simultaneously drive incremental,
but ultimately substantive, change in the South Florida economy towards a greener economy. This new
green economy will be anchored by industries that either reduce impact on the environment or produce
environmentally friendly goods and services. It will also shape how we live and work in our city and region
by creating low -emissions alternatives to how we commute, travel and maintain our homes and offices.
Overall, this transition will help diversify the regional economy, increase economic resilience, and drive
growth in industries that offer living wage jobs and long-term economic opportunity for Miamians.
Ensuring that these new green jobs benefit communities that have been historically disinvested is a
critical part of Miami's collective climate justice agenda, as detailed in Miami Forever Carbon Neutral and
Resilient 305.
Miami is uniquely well -positioned to become a leader in the United States' broader green economy. With
billions of dollars in assets and thousands of households vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,
Miami serves as an ideal hub for green investment, innovation, and talent. We have already shown
decisive leadership in mitigating our role in climate change and protecting our City from future climate
change impacts, as evidenced by the adoption of Miami Forever Climate Ready, Resilient 305, and now,
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral (the GHG Plan). This New Green Economy Analysis and Action Plan
(Green Economy Plan) identifies the elements of Miami's economy that will support climate action and the
shift to the new green economy, and outlines strategies that the City, our partners, and residents, can
pursue to ensure that the transition to a carbon -free future benefits all of our communities.
About this Report
This report builds on 20 years of research to advance a refined view of the now emerging "green
economy" across South Florida and the City of Miami. Two focus areas are included:
1. A broad focus on economic growth, job creation, and capital investment in industries that
significantly reduce the impact of human activity on the environment.
2. Atactical focus on jobs within Miami's green industries, which includes industries that can be
characterized as "Pure Green", where 100% of the industry output is environmentally friendly, and
"Partially Green," where a portion of the industry's output is environmentally friendly (such as the
automobile and building construction industries).
The Green Economy Plan includes findings from analysis of these two focus areas to understand the
current green economy, including key industries and assets, green industries that are poised for growth,
and occupations that will be impacted by climate action. This analysis is followed by near -term (within one
to three years) and mid-term (within four to six years) actions that the City can take to create a strong
green economy ecosystem — a network of businesses, organizations, customers, and policies that are
driving economic growth - to support implementation of Miami Forever Carbon Neutral and the Miami
Forever Bond. The City, however, cannot work alone to grow the new green economy — it requires
Page 63
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
partners to achieve broad impact. As such, these City -led actions are accompanied by recommendations
for the City's partners, businesses, and residents to ensure that the growth of the new green economy
benefits Miamians through workforce development training, career pathways, and living -wage jobs. This
Plan furthers many objectives established in Resilient305, including goals for building a diverse and
inclusive economy, creating youth career opportunities, buying local, and collaborating with local
universities.
Page 64
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Key Findings
Key findings from this research include:
• Miami's green economy and green jobs are resilient and poised for growth: The "green"
components of Miami's green sectors, which were defined as part of this analysis and include
Energy, Buildings, Transportation, Waste Management, Sensors, Instruments and related Research
and Development (R&D), Education, Regulation &Advocacy, and Climate Resilient Infrastructure,
supported 5,150 green jobs in 2019 and roughly $1.1 billion in output. These green sectors
experienced 3.8% annualized growth from 2015 to 2019, compared to 1% annualized growth for
Miami's non -green industries. Since the onset of COVID-19, green industries have been more
resilient (with little to no job losses) in comparison to Miami's traditional sectors, such as Tourism and
Professional Services. (Chapter 4: Green Jobs are Resilient and Poised for Growth)
• The growth of Miami's green economy is the result of spending by traditional sectors: In 2019,
traditional sectors, such as Higher Education, Local Government, and Healthcare, spent $5 billion on
goods and services from green sectors, primarily Buildings and Transportation. While traditional
sectors are not "green" today, transitioning to a green economy requires moving these industries
incrementally towards becoming greener through gradual sustainable purchases. This can occur in
response to technical advances, market forces, and evolving government policy that facilitates the
adoption of green business practices. Local government policies and investments, including those
related to electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, LEED certified buildings, building efficiency guidelines,
and adaptation programs, are playing an important role in encouraging green purchases by
traditional sectors. (Chapter 4: Traditional Industry Sectors Will Grow the New Green Economy)
• Municipal procurement policies play a key role in catalyzing the new green economy: Local
government currently spends $330 million per year in industries that are part of the green economy —
three times the spending of any other sector. The scale of government spending within the local
economy underscores the impact that City policies can have in creating demand for green goods and
services and for supporting growth of green industries. While local government is spending $330
million annually in industries that are part of the green economy, most of these industries are
considered "Partially Green", suggesting that not all government purchases are green — yet.
Procurement policies that prioritize climate -friendly investments will have an outsized role in ensuring
that local government's spending directly supports the green economy. (Chapter4: Traditional
Industry Sectors Will Grow the New Green Economy)
• Green industries have a higher share of jobs that pay living wages than traditional industries
in Miami: In general, across all occupations, those categorized as green tend to offer higher pay for
middle -skilled workers — 65% have a median wage greater than the living wage (compared to 47% of
all Miami occupations). Given the rapid growth in the green economy since 2010, the median wage
of green jobs has the potential to climb as spending and demand for green jobs increases.
Importantly, ensuring equitable access to living wage green jobs will require intentional work from the
City and our economic development partners through the development of green career pathways,
workforce training opportunities, and hiring support. (Chapter 4: Green Jobs Are Higher Paying and
More Accessible)
• There are many occupations that are employed across multiple green industries and demand
for these occupations is already expected to grow over the next 10 years — even without the
support of Miami's forthcoming climate actions. The occupations that are employed across
multiple green industries provide clear direction to workforce intermediaries and educational
institutions on which green occupation pathways should be prioritized in the near -term. (Chapter 5:
Green Occupations)
Although this analysis uncovers the scale of recent growth in Miami's green economy since 2015,
engagement with local civic and nonprofit organizations and the private sector identified parallel
weaknesses to be overcome if the new green economy is to grow in step with our GHG Plan:
• Greater Miami needs a green economy champion: While there is regional consensus about the
importance and potential of Miami's green economy, there is no dedicated champion that can focus
solely on the sector's growth. Miami -Dade County, Beacon Council, Catalyst Miami, have all
expressed support for scaling a green economy sector but a central entity or person is needed to
combine and guide all stakeholders and their efforts. This champion could play a lead role in
ensuring that there is a functioning green economy ecosystem to support future job creation, in
Page 65
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
conducting outreach with emerging green economy firms to clarify workforce needs and market
challenges, and in developing partnerships with local workforce intermediaries and universities.
• The City of Miami needs designated economic development staff: While we have made
considerable progress in working toward shared goals across sustainability and resilience, with
green infrastructure investment being a clear focus, City economic and workforce development
efforts related to green jobs appear fragmented. The same is true of the region's economic
development actors. The City has limited capacity to engage with emerging green firms to better
understand how evolving public sector investments will impact their industries and future job
creation. The lack of a city -level economic development arm was noted as a specific concern,
alongside the need for more deliberate strategies that leverage City procurement rules to accelerate
green opportunities.
• The City of Miami should prioritize equity and climate action in economic development,
especially with COVID-19 recovery dollars: Although the COVID-19 pandemic and economic
recession are beginning to wane, the pandemic has consequentially impacted Miami's economy with
many still out of employment, particularly among low-income Black and non -white Hispanic
residents. In response, City leaders have the opportunity to leverage federal and state resources to
explicitly support job creation in industries best positioned to create living wage jobs, long-term
economic opportunity, and address longstanding socioeconomic inequities over the next 10 to 20
years, which includes industries across the green sectors. The decisions made today about
economic recovery will shape our community, economy, and environment in the decades to come.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us the importance of resilience, equity, and modernization. Now, it is
critical that we take decisive action to ensure our economic recovery efforts reflect these tenets. As
immediate next steps, the City of Miami will focus on foundational actions that will support the expansion
of this new economic sector. To enable this, the City needs to identify full-time equivalent staff time to
focus on and begin work on City -specific actions. Beyond the City, key regional stakeholders including
neighbor cities, Miami -Dade County, Beacon Council, workforce development intermediaries, green
businesses, climate advocacy groups, and educational institutions, need to come together and
collectively identify a regional green economy champion. A green economy champion is needed to lead
on collaborating with public and private sector leaders; providing leadership and vision related to green
economy goals; supporting start-up, retention, and expansion efforts; and taking ownership of green
economy metrics (e.g., jobs, recruitment, wages, companies, and opportunities). This "champion", which
may be a person, office, entity, or a coalition, will need to have long-term staying power, credibility with a
broad audience of stakeholders, institutions, and businesses, an intense focus on the green economy and
climate justice, and access to operational funding.
With a regional green economy champion in place, the proposed actions for growing the green economy
can begin to take form. As the City updates its GHG Plan, we will maintain open channels of
communication with workers, businesses, educational institutions, community organizations, public
agencies, and residents to collaborate and report on the positive economic impacts of the GHG Plan and
related climate actions.
Page 66
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Chapter 1: Introduction
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral is the City's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan (GHG Plan) and serves as a
roadmap for Miami to achieve carbon neutrality in the community by 2050, strengthen the local economy,
and work towards climate justice. This Green Economy Plan serves as a primer on how implementation of
the GHG plan will transform the South Florida economy and workforce based on existing economic
conditions and trends. The primary focus of the Green Economy Plan is to uncover Miami's existing green
economy ecosystem, including the industries, institutions, and policies that are currently supporting its
growth, and identify key characteristics of Miami's green workforce so that the City and its partners can
support green economic growth in a way that intentionally supports the creation of living wage and
economically resilient career pathways for underserved communities. The Green Economy Plan
concludes with actions for both the City and the broader Miami community to strengthen the local green
economy ecosystem and workforce. The City -led actions at the conclusion of the Green Economy Plan
are subgoals to the GHG Plan and are designed to complement the GREEN goals. The success of
Miami's green economy, however, will depend on a broad range of economic development, workforce
training, and climate justice actors working together towards a shared vision. To that end, the green
economy plan goals are accompanied by proposed actions to be led by partners. These goals and
actions are discussed in detail in Chapter 6.
Pursuing both goals in tandem will result in economic progress that is sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and
equitable — delivering a green and just recovery from the COVID-19 crisis (Garcetti, et al., 2020).
GHG Plan goals to transition to a GREEN Miami: Green Economy Plan goals to support the new green
economy:
• G — Getting Around Miami • G — Grow the Green Economy Ecosystem
• R — Renewable Energy • R — Recruit and Retain a Green Workforce
• E — Electric Vehicles • O — Open Occupational Pathways
• E — Energy Efficiency • W — Welcome and Support Green Industry
• N — New Economy
Miami's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Commitments & the New Green
Economy
Seventy percent of global carbon dioxide emissions (the primary human -caused GHG emissions)
originate from cities, which means local governments must be leaders in their commitment to ambitious
actions that drastically reduce emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. And, as described
in Resilient305 and Miami Forever Climate Ready, Miami is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of
climate change, making it all the more critical that we do our part in reducing GHG emissions while
adapting to the changing climate. The City's climate vulnerability must be viewed in the context of existing
socioeconomic inequities, such as wage disparity and higher unemployment rates among Black or non-
white Hispanic residents, which were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to
be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change.
Achieving our target of 60% reduction in GHG emissions by 2035 and 100% reduction by 2050, coupled
with adapting to the increasing intensity and severity of sea level rise and weather events, will require a
substantive transformation of the local economy. To support the GHG Plan's Electric Vehicle goals, for
example, the local economy will need to increase access to EV charging infrastructure, EV support
services (e.g., technicians), and EV dealerships. Likewise, pursuit of the GHG Plan's Energy Efficiency
goals will increase demand in the local economy for energy efficient products, such as HVAC and kitchen
systems and windows, and related services, such as building design, specialty contractors, and retrofit
specialists. Indeed, each of the GREEN goals will lead to increased demand for green goods and
services, which will have the effect of growing market share of Pure Green industries, increasing sales of
green goods and services in the Partially Green industries, and pushing Potentially Green industries to
adopt green practices. In turn, the local economy is likely to see a decline in demand and market share of
non -green goods and services. Businesses and employees in these non -green industries are ideal
candidates for economic development support services and reskilling opportunities.
Page 67
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
The greening of our economy through the realization of our carbon mitigation and climate
adaptation commitments is directly aligned with our goals to reduce socioeconomic disparities
and increase economic resilience. This new green economy will diversify the regional economy,
increase economic resilience, and create demand for living -wage jobs that are less susceptible to the
economic shocks of weather events and global pandemics. Ensuring that these new, green living wage
jobs benefit communities that have been historically disinvested is a critical part of our collective climate
justice goals.
The scale of climate change impacts facing the City and the mitigation actions needed to transition to a
healthy, climate resilient future and a more sustainable, inclusive economy is far too great for any one
sector to undertake alone. As such, the public and private sectors each play key roles in positioning the
local economy to be responsive to these structural changes and ensuring that the local workforce is
prepared for the evolving work required by green jobs.
Climate Justice & the Green Economy
Climate justice begins with recognizing which groups are disproportionately impacted by the
environmental and economic consequences of climate change and that climate impacts can exacerbate
inequitable social conditions. Typically, those groups tend to be responsible for a relatively low volume of
greenhouse gas emissions.
In Miami, climate justice communities are historically underinvested neighborhoods (which tend to be
inland), populated by individuals that are low-income, predominantly Black, and recent immigrants. These
neighborhoods tend to be viewed as less physically vulnerable to climate change since flooding is less
common, but they are still vulnerable to climate impacts (hurricanes, extreme heat, flooding, pandemic,
economic recession) and their residents are relatively more socially vulnerable than other parts of the
City.
Inequities experienced by residents of climate justice communities include:
• Utility burden
• Low car ownership rates
• Renters being pushed out of homes due to increasing rent prices
• Being uninsured or underinsured
• Prolonged exposure to hazardous conditions such as extreme heat and pollution in homes and
worksites
• Lack of access to reliable and consistent public transportation
• Living paycheck to paycheck and being unable to afford hurricane supplies or evacuate due to
flooding
• Living more than three miles from the closest grocery store
The GHG Plan and the City's ongoing climate adaptation efforts offer opportunities to begin to address
some of these inequities by creating job opportunities and career pathways that are economically
resilient, offer living wages, and are specifically targeted for underserved climate justice communities.
This holistic view of climate action is vital in carrying out the City's vision to create a more resilient, safe,
and vibrant Miami for all.
Defining the Green Economy
The concept of the "green" or "clean" economy has been evolving for almost 20 years, with initial
progress linked to strategies advanced by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) to encourage job growth in sectors that preserve and/or restore the environment through energy
efficiency, resource consumption, decarbonization, and waste diversion. Domestic efforts to define "green
jobs" expanded after the Great Recession (2008) as the Federal government's efforts to re -start the
economy prioritized green investments (including public transit, clean vehicles, and ecosystem
restoration) within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This Green Economy Plan
Page 68
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
builds on this research to advance a refined view of the now emerging green economy across the City of
Miami and South Florida.
The green economy is broadly defined as any group of businesses and organizations that use practices
that reduce the negative impact of human activity on the environment, including those that mitigate or
adapt to the impacts of climate change. Miami's new green economy is defined as the businesses and
organizations that are supporting the realization of our climate action goals by facilitating access to the
goods and services that are essential to reducing the negative impact of human activity on the
environment (C40 Cities, 2019). Participants in the green economy can be categorized into two groups:
• Producers of green goods and services, such as renewable energy, climate adaptation services
(e.g., environmental or engineering professionals that design habitat protection or flood management
projects), electric vehicles, or mass transit; and
• Consumers of green goods and services, whether they be local government agencies hiring
contractors to rebuild infrastructure that can withstand severe weather events, hospitals adopting
more efficient energy systems, or private households purchasing electric vehicles.
For the purposes of this report, businesses that produce green goods or services are organized into
industries and sectors based on their product or output. For example, in this analysis, the transportation
sector incorporates industries associated with the movement of goods and people, such as public
transportation and electric vehicles.
Each green sector includes a range of industries that are: 1) Pure Green Industries, or industries that
are actively producing or providing green outputs; 2) Partially Green Industries, or industries that are
not yet producing or consuming 100% green goods or services, but a growing portion of outputs or
portions are green; and 3) Potentially Green Industries, or industries that have the potential to produce
or consume green goods and services in the near future. For example, certain industries, such as fossil
fuel reliant transportation services, do not currently provide any green outputs since they contribute GHG
emissions. However, as technology advances (such as the creation of synthetic fuel or the adoption of
zero -emission electric vehicles), market forces and new policies can push these industries to adopt green
practices, i.e., they have the potential to become green over time. The spectrum of green industries —
Potentially Green to Pure Green — are illustrated in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1. The Spectrum of Green Industries
Potentially Green Industries
e.g., traditional energy
generation, air transportation
Partially Green Industries
Pure Green Industries
e.g., renewable energy
generation, green infrastructure
This Green Economy Plan specifically quantifies the number of green jobs within the Partially Green and
Pure Green industries, but also takes stock of the number of jobs in the Potentially Green industries as
they too will be impacted by a transition to a greener economy. The methodology for this analysis can be
found in the appendix.
Page 69
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Chapter 2: Miami's Economy
Miami's Current Overall Economy
As of 2019, the City of Miami's total economy (which encompasses jobs and firms within the geographic
boundary of the City of Miami)' supported 300,000 jobs and generated over $67 billion in gross regional
product (GRP). Most of those jobs and economic output exist within the sectors of Health & Education,
Professional Services, and Leisure/Tourism. While the Professional Services sector has grown in Miami
since 2015 and has added around 3,800 jobs despite the 2020 recession, both Health & Education and
the Leisure/Tourism sectors lost jobs between 2015 and 2020. Leisure/Tourism lost almost 4,000 jobs
from 2019 to 2020 alone, due largely to pandemic closures. However, the main sectors that contribute to
the green economy — Transportation, Building Construction & Materials, and Energy — experienced net
growth of over 1,000 jobs between 2015 and 2020.
While the City of Miami's economy has experienced net growth since 2015, it faces vast inequities with
regards to income and job quality. Median household income estimates alone depict stark wealth disparity
in terms of a householder's race. According to 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year
estimates, the median white household earned an income of $97,271, whereas the median
Latino/Hispanic household earned $40,925 and Black household earned $29,462 (US Census Bureau,
2019). Overall, 41% of Miami's workers are employed in occupations with median hourly wages that are
below the living wage for the region (Emsi, 2021; MIT, 2021).2
There are also a substantial number of Miamians who operate within the informal, or "gig", economy,
meaning they are not employed by one formal employer. These jobs are harder to quantify as workers in
the informal economy are either self-employed or hold multiple, often temporary, jobs, but it has been
estimated that around 16% of workers in the Miami metro area are in "non -employer relationships." Miami
ranks as the metro area with the highest number of gig workers per capita (Tuohey, Zea, Parker, & Tuttle,
2021). While some of these workers are benefiting from a growing gig economy with more access to
opportunities and flexible work schedules, others are likely immigrants who lack access to resources,
institutions, and bank accounts that support economic growth (Hall, 2020).
As Miami begins to reduce its GHG emissions, which totaled 3.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MT
CO2e) in 2018, its economy will fundamentally shift and expand to favor goods and services that are
better for the environment. As the economy shifts, its jobs and workforce will need to adapt along with it. It
is this shift, and expansion, that creates opportunity for Miami to address longstanding socio-economic
inequalities.
Miami's Workforce Today
As of January 2021, Miami's workforce (meaning those who live in the City of Miami and are employed or
looking for work) was estimated consist of 221,000 people (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021).
Meanwhile there are over 300,000 jobs located within the City. The City of Miami's population comprises
about 17% of Miami -Dade County, whereas its 300,000 jobs make up 23% of all jobs within the county.
Despite there being enough jobs in Miami to employ every resident in its workforce, 67% leave the City
for employment, primarily to other cities in Miami -Dade County such as Miami Beach and Coral Gables.3
Of the 300,000 jobs in the City, only 19% are held by people who also live in the City (56,800 people)
while 81 % of jobs are held by those who live elsewhere in the region (US Census Bureau, 2019). This
employment and commute pattern underscores that the City of Miami is just one actor and one
geography within a larger regional economy — and supports the need for efficient, low -emissions public
transit systems.
1 Throughout this report, reference to "Miami" aligns with the "City of Miami" geography, not Miami -Dade County nor other
municipalities within Miami -Dade County.
2 The living wage is defined as the wage needed to pay for non -discretionary expenses, including housing, food, transportation, and
childcare. This analysis considers the living wage for Miami -Dade County based on MIT's Living Wage Calculator. The living wage
is $16 per hour for one adult with no children and $21.50 per hour per adult for a family of two adults supporting two children.
3 As most employment data is based on the location of an employer as opposed to employees' residents, jobs and occupation data
refer to the location of the employer. Data sources such as the Longitudinal Employer -Household Dynamics (LEHD) Survey provide
insight into the relationship between the residential labor force and employment within the City.
Page 70
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
While many factors contribute to residents' employment outside of Miami, one important factor is the skills
and education mismatch between the local workforce and available occupations. Currently, based on the
typical level of education required for entry into an occupation, 60% of jobs located in the City of Miami
require only a high school degree or no formal education. Many of these are lower -wage occupations that
offer little to no path for upward mobility. Put differently, there are more low -skilled and lower -paying jobs
in Miami than there are higher skilled and better paying jobs. Meanwhile, only 10% (30,000) of Miami's
jobs are considered middle -skill — requiring less than a bachelor's degree but more than a high school
diploma for entry into the occupation — which are often well -paid entry point jobs for those without a full
college degree.4 Focusing economic development opportunities within the City of Miami that match the
local workforce's skillset, along with increasing living wage job opportunities, has the dual benefit of
reducing commuter travel and, in turn, reducing emissions. A full breakdown of education level
requirements for existing jobs and the educational attainment of City of Miami residents is shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 2. While 50% of the Miami population has some college education or higher, only 40% of jobs
require this level of education
% of all jobs in City requiring this level of education
% of City population with this level of education
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
• No formal educational credential High school diploma or equivalent • Some college, associates, or other
• Bachelor's degree • Graduate degree
Source: ACS 2019 5-Year Estimates and AECOM Analysis of Emsi Data
Among the approximately 300,000 workers employed in Miami, 47% work in occupations that have a
median hourly wage below living wage ($17.90) (MIT, 2021).5 These jobs are more likely to be held by
non -white workers, further perpetuating racial disparities in economic opportunity. Unequal access to well -
paying jobs has been a longstanding issue in Miami, with non -white workers facing higher unemployment
rates and lower educational attainment (Miami -Dade Beacon Council, 2021). Figure 3 shows the Miami
workforce by race, for all occupations and for occupations that pay a living wage. While white workers
hold 32% of all jobs in Miami, they are disproportionately likely to be employed in occupations that pay a
living wage. The same is true for male workers: 40% of men work in living wage jobs compared to just
35% of women. For this data, Hispanic or Latino refers to individuals of any race of Hispanic or Latino
ethnicity, while white includes those of non -Hispanic or Latino origin, whereas Black or African American
and Asian may overlap with those in the Hispanic or Latino group (US Census Bureau, 2020).
4 Typical education level for entry to an occupation is reported by BLS at the national level, so alternate paths to employment may
exist at a regional level.
5 Estimated living wage for two working adults with one child in Miami, FL based on MIT's Living Wage Calculator, which is the
same baseline used in JP Morgan's "Trading on Innovation to Expand Opportunity" report.
Page 71
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 3. 47% of occupations in the City of Miami offer less than a living wage and Black and non -white
Hispanic/Latino workers are more likely to be in occupations that earn less than a living wage6
60%
U
50%
a�
U
f6
t 40%
U _
as
N E
30%
wo
a� o
'a
o 20% c
Q ▪ 10%
0
0
O 0%
49%
41%
Hispanic or Latino (of
any race)
Source: Emsi 2019 Occupation Data
42%
32%
15%
12%
White alone (not Black or African
Hispanic or Latino) American alone
3% 4%
1% 1%
Asian alone Two or More Races
■AII Occupations • Occupations with Living Wage
Inequitable access to stable, well -paying occupations is evidenced by the distribution of educational
attainment among different racial and ethnic groups, as summarized in Figure 4. White non -Hispanic
residents are more likely than Hispanic or Latino and Black Miamians to have graduated high school and
obtained a bachelor's degree. Black and Hispanic or Latino residents also face higher rates of
unemployment compared to other demographic groups. Figure 5 shows unemployment estimates for
2019, with a rate of 14.2% for Black residents and 3.2% for white residents (US Census Bureau, 2019).7
Figure 4. White Miamians are twice as likely to have a college degree than non -white
Hispanic/Latino Miamians and five times more likely than Black Miamians8
120%
> O
C ao') 100%
O -
- - N
Q o c 80%
o w • (T3
Jfl
• 40%
o 20%
m
0%
White alone, not Hispanic or
Latino
97%
66%
1
Source: ACS 2019 5-Year Estimates
75%
26%
■
Hispanic or Latino Origin
74%
15%
90%
64%
1
Black alone Asian alone
• High school graduate or higher • Bachelor's degree or higher
6 Emsi occupation demographic data treats 'Hispanic' as an additional race category, removing Hispanic population from other race
categories.
7 Unemployment data were collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted employment in 2020 and
exacerbated existing inequalities. Preliminary estimates for unemployment in January 2021 in Miami were over 8%. Unemployment
disproportionately impacted people in service jobs and Black and non -white Hispanic workers (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020).
These numbers further underline the need for economic initiatives that are intended to address racial inequities.
8 "White" race category refers to white non -Hispanic population.
Page 72
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 5. Black Miamians are three times more likely to be unemployed than non -white
Hispanic/Latino Miamians
0
t
o
o c
C c
1E 0
-
a)
oo�
Ea) U
C c
U
f6
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
3.2%
White alone, not
Hispanic or Latino
Source: ACS 2019 5-Year Estimates
4.9%
14.2%
Hispanic or Latino (of Black or African
any race) American alone
Race/Ethnicity
1.4%
8.5%
Asian alone Two or more races
Female residents in the City of Miami have slightly higher levels of educational attainment, as shown in
Figure 6. Although women tend to have higher levels of educational attainment, this lead does not
translate to employment gains: women face equal levels of unemployment, as shown in Figure 7, and are
less likely to work in living wage jobs. Importantly, women face higher rates of unemployment despite
being nearly three times as likely to be single heads of households than men. Meanwhile, Black women
are nearly four times as likely to be single heads of households, and out of the labor force compared to
white women (US Census Bureau, 2019). Women, particularly Black women, are more likely than men to
be unemployed while simultaneously responsible for feeding and housing their families.
Figure 6. On average, women in Miami are slightlymore likely to have a high school diploma or
higher than men
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
78%
80%
High school graduate or higher
■ Male ■ Female
Source: ACS 2019 5-Year Estimates
28%
32%
Bachelor's degree or higher
Page 73
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 7. Despite higher levels of educational attainment, women face similar unemployment rates
as men
6.0%
0 5.5%
o
O35.0%
-
oa
(a� 4.5%
4.0%
Source: ACS 2019 5-Year Estimates
4.8%
5.5%
Male Female
Gender
The existing inequities in Miami's economy were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic,
underscoring the need for new educational and employment opportunities that offer stable, living wage
work, particularly for Black and Brown residents, which can both reduce these socioeconomic inequities
and improve the overall resilience of the local economy. Analysis of Miami's green economy today
indicates that further investment in the new green economy has a strong potential to address these
longstanding inequities.
Page 74
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Chapter 3: Miami's Green Economy
The idea of a national green economy first gained momentum following the 2008 financial crisis when the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dedicated about 17% of all direct government
spending to green investments. Interest in the green economy and its potential for job creation has re-
emerged in recent months given proposed federal legislation to help fund economic recovery and
infrastructure investment while simultaneously addressing the climate crisis. Although the U.S. lacks a
national standard method for tracking the size of the green economy and its growth, a 2019 study
estimated that the green economy produced $1.3 trillion in output while employing over 4% of the working
age population in 2016 and that employment in the green economy grew by over 20% between 2013 and
2016 (Georgeson & Maslin, 2019).
Industries Driving Miami's Green Economy
Industries driving a local green economy are different in each metropolitan area due to geographic
context, environmental challenges, state and local policies, and regional economies. This Green
Economy Plan focuses on industries that currently play a role in the City of Miami's green economy and
industries that will be impacted by implementation of the GHG Plan and Miami Forever Bond, including
Transportation, Energy, Buildings, Waste Management, and Climate Resilient Infrastructure. This Green
Economy Plan also evaluates green industries that are not specifically represented in the GHG Plan but
have an active and growing presence in the City and region's climate action efforts. These additional
green industries include Sensors, Instruments, and R&D, and Regulation and Advocacy. The players in
Miami's green economy can be organized into sectors, or groups of industries, that are connected by a
shared green output or service. Based on these factors, the City of Miami's green sectors and their
associated industries are outlined in Table 1.9
9 While this Green Economy Plan focuses on these dominant sectors, there are many small or emerging industries that are not
included in the quantitative analysis of Miami's green economy due to the small size of this industry within city limits. These
industries include urban agriculture and food sources, green business development and marketing, and disaster -recovery. However,
these small and emerging industries are still a relevant and important, even if small, component of the green economy.
Page 75
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Table 1. Miami's Green Economy Sectors and Example Green Industries and Occupations10,11
Transportation
• Description: Industries involved in passenger and freight transportation as well as jobs related to the selling, manufacturing, and
maintenance of mass public transit and electric vehicles.
• Related Climate Action Goals: 15% reduction in personal vehicle trips, 40% of registered passenger vehicles are electric (GHG
Plan), Create Mobility Options (R305)
• Pure Green Industry Examples: Commuter Rail Systems, Multimodal Transit Systems, Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit
Systems
• Partially Green Industry Examples: Automobile Manufacturing, General Automotive Repair, Freight Transportation, Deep Sea
Freight Transportation
• Example Occupations: Transportation inspectors, operating engineers, bus and truck mechanics, logisticians, engineers, general
and operations managers, sales representatives, electronics engineers, industrial engineers, and public relations specialists
Energy
• Description: Industries involved in the generation and transmission of carbon -free energy.
• Related Climate Action Goals: 100% carbon -free electricity, 35% reduction in natural gas emissions (GHG Plan), Increase Energy
Efficiencies (R305)
• Pure Green Industry Examples: Solar Electric Power Generation
• Partially Green Industry Examples: Electric Power Distribution, Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control, Power and
Communication Line and Related Structures Construction
• Example Occupations: Electrical power line installers, power plant operators, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, industrial
engineers, compliance officers, construction and building inspectors, environmental scientists, economists, and production and
operating workers
Buildings
• Description: Industries participating in the design, construction, and engineering of energy and resource efficient buildings.
• Related Climate Action Goals: Improve energy efficiency and decrease energy consumptions (GHG Plan), Increase Energy
Efficiencies (R305), Promote adaptive neighborhoods and buildings (Miami Forever Climate Ready)
• Pure Green Industry Examples: No current Pure Green industries in Miami
• Partially Green Industry Examples: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction, Roofing Contractors
• Example Occupations: Construction and building inspectors, general and operations managers, civil engineers, electrical engineers,
architects, plant and systems operators, drilling and boring machine operators, logisticians, compliance officers, and solar energy
installation managers
Waste Management
• Description: Includes public and private waste haulers, recycling and composting services, and waste remediation industries.
• Related Climate Action Goals: Reduce solid waste (GHG Plan), Enhance Natural Systems (R305)
• Pure Green Industry Examples: Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesales, Materials Recovery Facilities
• Partially Green Industry Examples: Solid Waste Collection, Other Waste Collection
• Example Occupations: Biofuels processing technician, chemists, industrial engineers, operating workers, environmental scientists,
logistics engineers, bus and truck mechanics, operating engineers, power plant operators, and training and development specialists
Sensors, Instruments, & R&D
• Description: Includes industries related to the manufacturing of devices necessary to monitor temperature, environmental controls,
emissions, etc., as well as scientific research industries.
• Related Climate Action Goals: Supports advancement of all climate action goals, particularly as they relate to technology and
engineering
• Pure Green Industry Examples: Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use
• Partially Green Industry Examples: Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except
Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
• Example Occupations: Geoscientists, electrical engineers, civil engineers, logistics engineers, mechanical engineers, technologists
and technicians, energy engineers, chemists, industrial designers, and public relations specialists
Regulation, Education, & Advocacy
• Description: Includes all industries involved in environmental regulation, conservation, restoration, and compliance, as well
environmental education, justice and advocacy.
• Related Climate Action Goals: Enhance Natural Systems, Communicate the Concept of Resilience (R305), Protect and enhance our
waterfront, Inform, prepare, and engage our residents and businesses (Miami Forever Climate Ready)
• Pure Green Industry Examples: Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations, Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions
• Partially Green Industry Examples: Grant -making Foundations, Law Firms, Professional Associations (such as Urban Land
Institute), Government
• Example Occupations: Water resource specialists, urban and regional planners, environmental compliance inspectors,
environmental scientists, educators, hazardous materials removal workers, environmental economists, lawyers, public relations
specialists, marketing managers
Climate Resilient Infrastructure
• Description: Comprises industries involved in Miami's extensive adaptation and resiliency projects to curb future threats of sea -level
rise and coastal storms.
• Related Climate Action Goals: Safeguard Urban Systems (R305), Invest in resilient and smart infrastructure (Miami Forever Climate
Ready)
• Pure Green Industry Examples: Water Supply and Irrigation Systems, Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction
• Partially Green Industry Examples: Landscaping Services, Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
• Example Occupations: Hydrologists, environmental engineers, civil engineers, power plant operators, urban and regional planners,
construction inspectors, landscape architects, architects, construction equipment operators, and transportation planners
Page 76
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Protection and restoration of South Florida's environment is a core component of Miami's green
economy.
Miami's network of environmental regulators, management services, and advocacy groups, spurred by the
adjacency of high -value natural environments, including Biscayne Bay, the Everglades, the Great Florida
Reef, and beaches and ocean, is also a key component of the city's burgeoning green economy. This nature
adjacency has fostered a small but notable environmental technology industry that includes technological
advancements that track ocean pollution and stormwater management. Concern and appreciation for
protecting these natural assets drives policy that further creates demand for green goods and services. Local,
state, and federal regulatory agencies have issued requirements and incentives, for both the public and
private sectors, to reduce environmental impacts and restore natural habitats. This is evidenced by various
regulations impacting the County's Water and Sewer Department (WASD), including the state's requirement
to treat wastewater for reuse rather deep well injections and the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
consent decree requiring WASD to amend its ocean outfall system, which is leading to multi -billion -dollar
capital investments, many of which require specialized contractors to design and execute.
Jobs Within Miami's Current Green Economy
Green jobs within the City of Miami today are concentrated in the Transportation, Buildings, and Waste
Management sectors, as illustrated in Figure 8 . Roughly 5,000 jobs (about 1.5% of all jobs within the City
of Miami) and about $1 billion in GRP (about 2% of the GRP) contribute directly to the City's green
economy.12 These job numbers are calculated by totaling Pure Green industry jobs with estimates of the
number of green jobs within Partially Green industries (a more detailed methodology in the appendix
describes the process for determining the concentration of green jobs within Partially Green Industries).13
As demand for green goods and services grows and the market share of green industries grows, demand
for these occupations will also grow. To ensure that local Miamians benefit from green economic growth,
regional workforce training actors will need to adapt and expand their curricula to prepare students and
workers for green jobs. Further analysis of green occupations is included in Chapter 4.
10 The electrical contractors' industry, which likely captures charging station installation jobs, is included in the green buildings
clusters.
11 While some of these industries are currently lacking green practices, they are an important part of Miami's local economy and
have high potential to become greener in the future. For these reasons, they have been captured as part of the green economy
analysis.
12 Emsi employment considers both full time and part time jobs and counts them both equally.
13 The job numbers and financial values in this Analysis solely include firms operating within the city limits of Miami — not those
within greater Miami -Dade County nor neighboring municipalities. However, it is important to acknowledge that Miami's local
economy is influenced by regional economic forces within Miami -Dade County and Southeast Florida, and that regional supply and
demand also play a role in supporting the City's local green economy.
Page 77
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 8. The Buildings, Transportation, and Waste Management Sectors are the Sectors with the
Most Green Jobs in Miami's Current Green Economy
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000 880
800
600
400
200 90
Transportation Energy Buildings Waste Sensors, Regulation & Climate Resilient
Management Instruments, Advocacy Infrastructure
R&D
Number of Green Jobs per Sector
1
430
Source: AECOM Analysis, Emsi 2019 Industry Data
1,780
1,260
Green Industry Sectors
Chapter 4: The Potential of the Green Economy
Green Jobs are Resilient and Poised for Growth
430
560
Industries that contribute to the City of Miami's green economy grew at a compounded annual rate of
3.8% from 2015 to 2019, adding 5,600 jobs (although these jobs are dispersed among Pure and Partially
Green industries), compared to a 1 % annual growth rate for Miami's non -green industries and 1.4% for
the overall economy (inclusive of green and non -green industries). Green and traditional sectors, as
analyzed in this research, are summarized in Table 2. Importantly, during the COVID-19 recession, the
green economy showed little to no job loss while jobs in Miami's traditional industries lost over 6,000 jobs
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021).14 This comparison is illustrated in Figure 9 and Figure 10.
Table 2. Categorization of sectors between Miami's green and traditional economies15
Green Economy Sectors Traditional Economy Sectors
• Transportation
• Energy
• Buildings
• Waste Management
• Sensors, Instruments, R&D
• Regulation and Advocacy
• Climate Resilient Infrastructure
Source: AECOM Analysis, Emsi 2019 Industry Data
• Heath and Education
• Manufacturing
• Leisure and Tourism
• Federal and State Government
• Local Government
• Retail/Wholesale/Distribution
• Agriculture and Food
• Professional Services
14 Emsi 2020 employment data is based on BLS QCEW data through Q2 (June 2020), so 2020 estimates are subject to change.
15 Traditional economy sectors were identified as all other sectors that have a presence in Miami that do not have a large
component of pure or partially green industries.
Page 78
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 9. Jobs in the City of Miami's green sectors grew by 20% between 2014 and 2019 and
dropped by 1% from 2019 to 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted business sales and
operations
50,000
u,
0 45,000
0
a`)
z40,000
35,000
39,444
38,348
40,563
41,797
44,891
45,875
45,363
1 % decline in jobs
between 2019 and 2020
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Year
Source: AECOM Analysis, Emsi 2019 Industry Data
Figure 10. Jobs in the City of Miami's traditional sectors grew by 7% between 2014 and 2019 and
dropped by 5% from 2019 to 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted business sales and
operations
270,000
265,000
260,000
255,000
250,000
245,000
262,090 260,843
267,522
265,294
5% decline in jobs
between 2019 and 2020 254,883
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Year
Source: AECOM Analysis, Emsi 2019 Industry Data
The Impacts of Climate Change Drive Demand for Green Goods and Services
The impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and hurricanes, have led to increased spending by
the private sector as more people are investing in weatherization improvements for private property and
using alternative financing mechanisms (such as the PACE program) to pay for these improvements.
When considering industries that participate both directly (e.g., Pure and Partially Green industries) and
indirectly (e.g., Potentially Green industries) in the green economy, Miami's green economy comprises
30% of Miami's total economic output (GRP) (Emsi, 2020).16 The industries in Miami's green sectors (e.g.,
Transportation, Energy, Building Construction, Technical Services, Waste Management, Regulation, and
Infrastructure) are estimated to support upwards of 47,400 jobs. Eleven percent of these jobs are green
jobs (or jobs that are either in Pure Green industries or the green components of Partially Green
industries) while the remaining 89% of jobs have the potential to become green as demand for green
goods and services increases.
16 This estimate is derived from job numbers for Pure and Partially Green industries, with a green intensity ratios used to estimate
how many green jobs could exist within these Partially Green industries (details on the green intensity methodology can be found in
Appendix II). All employment data is provided by Emsi.
Page 79
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 11. 11% of jobs in Miami's green sectors are considered green, while 89% have the
potential to become green as demand for green goods and services grow
18,000
0
cn 16,000
t
a3
w 14,000
N
Q
O 12,000
a)
a)
a)
10,000
c 8,000
a)
0
0
• 6,000
a3
a)
4,000
C9
0
• 2,000
E
Z
15,071
884
12,089
1.497
13,122
<Sck1
1,104
MITE
1,403
1.265
Transportation Buildings Regulation & Climate Resilient Waste
Advocacy Infrastructure Management
•Green Jobs Potentially Green Jobs
Source: AECOM Analysis, Emsi 2019 Industry Data
1,155
<ySe1■ 95
Energy Sensors,
Instruments,
R&D
This demonstrates that the City of Miami has strong potential to transition to a green economy, either by
transitioning existing jobs to green ones or creating new green jobs, especially as demand for green
goods and services increases with the implementation of the GHG Plan and climate adaptation projects.
519
Traditional Industries Will Grow the New Green Economy
The sectors that have historically been key drivers of the Miami region's economic success, such as
Healthcare, Education, and Tourism, also contribute to the green economy as the consumers of green
goods and services. Industry purchase data shows that traditional sectors rely on roughly $5 billion in
goods and services from green sectors annually, which forms a positive feedback loop between emerging
green industries and the City of Miami's broader economy. One clear example is building construction,
where traditional industries in Miami spend over $2 billion annually on the construction and renovations of
hospitals, offices, apartments, hotels, and commercial buildings. Figure 12 depicts the total amount spent
by businesses in traditional, non -green industries on goods and services produced by businesses that
participate in the green economy.17 As traditional sectors adopt greener practices in the future, such as
purchasing EVs, investing in solar, or improving energy and water efficiency of buildings, they will rely on
firms within Miami's green sectors.
17 The data should not be interpreted as the amount spent purely on green goods and services, but rather on the overall sectors
which encompass evolving green industries. These data illustrate the influence that Miami's traditional economy has had on helping
its green businesses grow as it makes decisions on whether and how to make environmentally responsible investments in areas
such as green building retrofitting and construction, electrification of buildings and fleets, and sustainable resource management.
Page 80
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 12. Businesses in Miami's traditional sectors spent $5 billion on goods and services from
businesses participating in Miami's green sectors in 2019
$2,500
O
a)
a)
U
a)
o5 $2,000
O
O
(.9 O
C =
$2,083
$1,051
$878
$637
Buildings Transportation Regulation &
Advocacy
Source: AECOM Analysis, Emsi 2019 Industry Data
$458
$1319
$539
$382
$80
$1455
$127
$396
Energy Climate Resilient Waste Sensors,
Infrastructure Management Instruments, R&D
■ Pure Green Partially Green
Figure 13 shows the average amount spent per industry among traditional sectors on goods and services
from either Pure or Partially Green industries. Overall, non -green industries spend about 14% of total
purchases in Pure or Partially Green industries. Of these industries, the highest spender is local
government, totaling nearly $330 million in green sector purchases in 2019. While local government's
purchases from Pure and Partially Green industries are not all green, changes in City policies that lead to
more green purchases will have significant influence in "greening" the economy. Spending by traditional
industries within the green economy to -date has occurred organically — or, rather, without deliberate
economic development or government policies driving demand. Given this, incentives, regulations, and
broader market forces have clear opportunity to sway Miami's traditional industries to invest in green
goods and services. Given this clear economic linkage between green and non -green industries, public
policy efforts that encourage the private sector to make green investments will have ripple effects
throughout regional economy, and support pursuit of broader carbon reduction goals.
Growth in Renewable Energy Jobs
Today, the renewable energy industry in Miami provides over 400 jobs, which is less than 30% of the
total jobs in Miami's energy sector. However, renewable energy jobs have grown by 16% in the past
decade. This growth is driven by purchases from Miami's traditional sectors (e.g., government,
healthcare, tourism), which amounted to nearly $600 million in 2019. The actions listed below both
support GHG reductions and create opportunity to increase demand for renewable energy, which will
in turn lead to increased demand for clean renewable energy jobs.
Page 81
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Figure 13. Of Miami's traditional sectors, local government was the largest purchaser of goods
and services from Pure and Partially Green industries in 2019
$350
a)
a2
C7
o $300
a)
a)
U
a) $250
ces
N
0 .o $200
0
n c
`o.
$150
N
a3 c
O N• N
N $100
-o
c c
o
°u; $50
N
a)
Si
N
coo $16 $1 $0 $10
> $-
r x., ��o��`aG� Jz °J
c
a e,-
$2
•
$96
• $5
$314
i
$18
$5
$0
$3
$0 $17 $2
cc °cam °� oa m
,ec°F oc� „i�0a� o �o `'o��o
G° G° 0�0. \�c .ma'
5`a�e °c_, soma\ c�°J M'
a�� fro P� Qc°o
ae`
,tea
• Purchases from Pure Green Industries Purchases from Partially Green Industries
Source: AECOM Analysis, Emsi 2019 Industry Data
The City of Miami is Already Shaping the Green Economy
The City has already instituted sustainability-directed policies which are shaping the new green economy,
such as requiring buildings over 50,000 square feet to be LEED certified, allocating a fifth of off-street
parking spaces to EVs, and allowing solar panels to not contribute to building height maximums. More
policies and investments similar to these are anticipated with the implementation of the GHG Plan and other
resilience efforts.
Green Jobs Are Higher Paying and More Accessible
Essential to achieving our broader climate justice agenda is ensuring that underinvested climate justice
communities and Black and Brown Miamians have access to living wage career pathways, which the
expansion of green industries can provide. Numerous studies confirm that jobs in green industries tend to
be higher paying with lower barriers to entry compared to jobs in traditional industries, particularly for
renewable energy jobs which tend to require on-the-job training rather than a post -secondary degree
(Muro, Tomer, Shivaram, & Kane, 2019). 65% of Miami's green occupations have a median wage that is
greater than the local living wage and 60% of them are considered middle skill, which are jobs that
require less than a college degree and more than a high school diploma. In comparison, 53% of Miami
workers earn a living wage and only 38% of jobs within the broader Miami -Dade County economy are
considered middle skill. All green sectors are already expected to grow over the next ten years — even
without the implementation of our GHG Plan and broader resilience goals — indicating that growth in the
middle -skill, living wage jobs market can be expected.
Page 82
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Chapter 5: Green Occupations
Preparing Miami's workforce for new, greener jobs requires understanding which jobs will be in demand
and their associated skillsets. Preparation will also need to identify the occupations that are most at -risk
for decreased demand as the economy transitions to become greener. For example, an increase in EVs
in Miami, which is a top GHG reduction goal, will increase demand for electricians and EV technicians
while reducing demand for workers related to combustion engine vehicles. While it will require efforts to
monitor the changing needs of green or greening employers in Miami, some studies have tried to
synthesize more broadly how skills for green jobs vary from those for traditional jobs. Skill and knowledge
areas for green occupations tend to require more scientific knowledge and technical expertise (Muro,
Rothwell, & Saha, 2011). As many technician occupations do not require a college degree, but rather an
associate's degree, vocational education or on-the-job training, many green job -specific training programs
could be accessed through existing technical training and educational programs, such as those offered
through Florida International University (FIU), Miami -Dade College, and other local colleges and
universities. We — the City of Miami, educational institutions, workforce and economic development
organizations, and the private sector — must work together to anticipate these changes in demand for
occupations and skills and prepare our workforce accordingly.
Green occupations are divided into three skillset categories, as summarized in Figure 14, that inform
workforce training curriculum design and recruiting (O*NET OnLine, 2020).18 Occupations in the "green
enhanced skills" and "green increased demand" categories already have a presence in Miami and are
more likely to have existing workforce training and other skills development resources in place, which will
need to be expanded or augmented. "Green, new, and emerging" occupations, meanwhile, are less likely
to have training resources and career pathways in place, so developing local talent to fill related jobs will
require educational partnerships and curricula development. Full lists of Miami green occupations that fall
into each of these workforce training categories are available in Table 12, Table 13, and Table 14 in the
Appendix. The tables include wage and skill requirement data.
Figure 14. Green Occupation Workforce Training Categories
Green Enhanced Skills
• Existing occupations that undergo changes to the work and worker skills as the economy becomes greener (i.e.,
building inspectors, mechanics, and engine specialists). These occupations are more likely to require up- or re-
skilling programs.
Green Increased Demand
• Occupations that face increased demand due to the greening of the economy, but work and worker requirements
remain the same (i.e., conservation workers, environmental regulators). These occupations solely require more
people to develop necessary skills.
Green New and Emerging
• Unique occupations created as a result of the greening of the economy (i.e., solar photovoltaic installers, automotive
engineering technicians). These occupations will require new workforce training programs that provide training in
specific skillsets.
18 Jobs that are defined as green due to the nature of their work can be defined as "green occupations." An analysis of green
occupations provides further detail on the activities, skills and education that will be needed in Miami's growing green economy.
Page 83
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Green Buildings & Green Jobs
The green buildings sector, which includes energy efficiency contractors, electricians, and other specialty
contractors, accounts for 35% of Miami's green jobs. Today's green building sector is the result of traditional
industries investing in green buildings and retrofits. In 2019, businesses in traditional sectors spent over $2
billion in Miami's green buildings industry. The buildings sector also offers the opportunity for the most growth
in green jobs: green building jobs are currently just 13% of all buildings jobs, leaving 87% of jobs in this
industry to become green jobs. As implementation of the GHG Plan takes off and demand for green buildings
and retrofits grows, there will be corresponding demand for specialty contractors. Miami's workforce will need
to be prepared to fill the increased demand for green buildings jobs or otherwise risk losing them to people
outside the region. It will be critical for the City and economic development actors to market green jobs in the
buildings industry, particularly to young people, and to develop and expand training pathways tailored to
these jobs. New or expanded green workforce development opportunities will need to offer training to people
entering the workforce and to re-skilling those already within the buildings and construction industry. Since
these jobs tend to pay at or above the living wage, special attention should be given to recruiting and training
potential employees from historically underinvested and climate justice communities.
There are hundreds of green occupations across Miami's core green sectors, all of them with varying
growth potential, which can make workforce training prioritization challenging, especially in a context of
limited resources. Many occupations, however, are prevalent across multiple green sectors, which makes
them ideal targets for workforce training programs. Programs that provide the skills and educational
training for multi -industry occupations are more likely to see students match with relevant jobs. Miami's
green occupations with the highest "frequencies" across green sectors are summarized in Table 3.
Table 3. High frequency green occupations
Occupation
Construction
Laborers
Compound Median Hourly Work Typical Entry
Annual Job Earnings Experience Level Education
Growth (2015 — Required
2019)
10% $14.08 None No formal
credential
Laborers and 12% $12.92 None No formal
Freight, Stock, and credential
Material Movers
Laborers and 12% $12.92 None No formal
Freight, Stock, and credential
Material Movers
Electricians 5% $20.04 None High school
diploma or
equivalent
General and
Operations
Managers
16% $42.72 5 years or more Bachelor's
degree
Page 84
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Occupation
Compound Median Hourly Work Typical Entry
Annual Job Earnings Experience Level Education
Growth (2015 — Required
2019)
First -Line
Supervisors of
Construction
Trades and
Extraction Workers
8% $26.92 5 years or more
High school
diploma or
equivalent
First -Line
Supervisors of
Mechanics,
Installers, and
Repairers
2%
$28.42
Less than 5 years High school
diploma or
equivalent
Cargo and Freight 9%
Agents
$17.97 None High school
diploma or
equivalent
Maintenance and 8% $17.01 None High school
Repair Workers, diploma or
General equivalent
Operating
Engineers and
Other Construction
Equipment
Operators
11% $20.97 None High school
diploma or
equivalent
Cement Masons 8% $19.21 None No formal
and Concrete credential
Finishers
Civil Engineers 2% $39.00 None Bachelor's
degree
Roofers 14% $14.45 None No formal
credential
Bus and Truck 4% $23.49 None High school
Mechanics and diploma or
Diesel Engine equivalent
Specialists
Industrial Truck 6% $15.70 None No formal
and Tractor credential
Operators
Sheet Metal
Workers
-8% $19.53 None High school
diploma or
equivalent
Page 85
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Occupation
Compound Median Hourly Work Typical Entry
Annual Job Earnings Experience Level Education
Growth (2015 — Required
2019)
Architects, Except 3% $31.17 None Bachelor's
Landscape and degree
Naval
Helpers --
Installation,
Maintenance, and
Repair Workers
1% $12.87 None High school
diploma or
equivalent
Industrial
Machinery
Mechanics
4% $20.01 None High school
diploma or
equivalent
Inspectors, Testers, 8% $17.10 None High school
Sorters, Samplers, diploma or
and Weighers equivalent
Production,
Planning, and
Expediting Clerks
22% $ 17.98 None High school
diploma or
equivalent
Laborers and 12%
Freight, Stock, and
Material Movers
$12.92 None No formal
credential
Source: AECOM analysis of Emsi occupation data based on O*NET green occupation classifications
The Promise of Electric
Critical to accelerating EV adoption will be the availability of charging station infrastructure, electricians to
support charging station infrastructure, and technicians to support EV maintenance. With more EVs
scheduled to arrive in the market within the next year and car companies transitioning to all -electric vehicle
stocks, demand for EV mechanics is already expected to grow in the coming years, and the actions
presented in the GHG Plan will further catalyze this demand. Mechanics, particularly bus and truck
mechanics, make well above the living wage ($24 per hour compared to the living wage of $18 per hour), so
increased demand for these jobs will create important opportunities for Miami's workforce. While Miami -Dade
College already offers an EV mechanic training program, additional training programs could be offered, along
with targeted marketing and recruitment strategies. Likewise, increasing awareness of the opportunities and
benefits of the electrical trade, and specifically the EV charging station certification, including the trade's
wage and growth benefits, will ensure that Miami has a workforce that is able to support widespread EV
adoption.
Page 86
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Chapter 6: Opportunities and Barriers to Growing Miami's
New Green Economy
Regional economies are not only comprised of individual companies producing and selling goods and
services to customers but also of entire networks of actors — including the public sector, educational
institutions, funders, civic leaders, and non -governmental organizations (NGOs) — that contribute to the
conditions required to support economic growth. Understanding Miami's existing green economy not only
requires identifying green industries and measuring its GRP and living wage jobs, but also understanding
which parts of the local and regional ecosystem are supporting (or hindering) sustained green economic
growth.
The following summary draws from over 20 interviews with local stakeholders representing public, private,
and nonprofit sectors and civic institutions. The summary identifies both facilitators of the green economy
and factors that are otherwise inhibiting sustained green economic growth across Miami's growing green
economy ecosystem.
Opportunities
• Local government prioritization of resilience is central to the Miami green economy. Expected
growth in Miami's green economy will, in large part, be driven by the City's planned infrastructure
investments under the $400 million Miami Forever Bond and stormwater master plan update and the
County's Water and Sewer Department (WASD) capital upgrades related to environmental protection
and climate adaptation, among other notable capital investments.
• Implementation of our GHG Plan will lead to increased green growth in the Buildings,
Transportation, and Energy sectors. The actions that are expected to directly lead to economic
growth, including the creation of new jobs, are summarized below:
Goal 1: GETTING AROUND MIAMI
• G-2: Collaborate with Miami -Dade County and local advocacy groups to increase utilization
of biking as a transit method by implementing the Bicycle Master Plan and expanding the
number of protected, green bikeways.
• G-3: Expand micromobility options throughout the entire city including Citi Bikes, scooters,
and electric bikes.
• G-4: Develop a Trolley Master Plan including a long-term vision for the program and route
updates.
• G-8: Work with partner entities to create bus lanes in strategic, key corridors.
• G-10: Improve pedestrian experience and safety through investments in sidewalks such as
ADA compliance measures and increasing number of crosswalks, especially in low -
medium income areas.
Goal 2: RENEWABLE ENERG°
• R-4: Provide additional policy and financial incentives to encourage private solar
installations and identify incentives that would appeal to owners of affordable housing.
• R-6: Partner with community organizations such as local nonprofits, trade organizations,
and electric and gas utilities, to develop a building electrification education program to
provide information and technical assistance.
Goal 3: ELECTRIC VEHICLES
• EV-3: Partner with major employers and multifamily building owners to install EV chargers
in parking lots/garages.
• EV-4: Build on EV Capability Ordinance to require EV charger installations in new
developments starting in 2025.
Goal 4: ENERGY EFFICIENCY
• E-1: Implement Building Efficiency 305 (BE305) program requiring energy benchmarking
and disclosure for commercial, multi -family residential, and City of Miami municipal
buildings over 20,000 sq. ft.
• E-4: Adopt a residential, single-family home energy rating and disclosure ordinance.
Page 87
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
• E-5: Adopt building performance standard for commercial, multi -family residential, and City
of Miami municipal buildings over 20,000 sq. ft.
• E-6: Establish residential, single-family home energy conservation requirements.
Additional Enabling Actions
• A-11: Develop a financial and technical assistance program that helps residents,
particularly low-income, to pursue climate action.
• Miami's colleges, universities, and educational institutions are a critical pillar to the city's
overall economic strength and to the local green economy, both in terms of workforce
training and research and development. Today, Miami colleges and universities offer courses that
directly support many of its green economy sectors, including environmental engineering and
protection (University of Miami, Florida International University), sustainable management (University
of Miami, Florida International University), building efficiency (University of Miami) and construction
trade programs (Florida International University), and EV-related technical skills (Miami Dade
College's advanced automotive service technology certificate). Several of these institutions also
serve as workforce intermediaries, providing direct access to technical skills training and
employment opportunities. Miami -Dade College and Miami -Dade Unified School District also have a
track record of working with construction and development companies to attract students to the
construction industry, an industry that, on average, offers living wage jobs and job security. Likewise,
Florida International University (FIU) has partnered with JP Morgan Chase and local employers to
offer Urban Potential Laboratories (UP Labs) which specifically prepares students for middle -skill
jobs in high -demand industries. It is this strong foundation of educational assets, which will need to
grow and expand in anticipation of increased demand, that will enable Miami to flourish as a green
workforce hub.
• Small but growing green finance and risk management industries are developing in the South
Florida region. The finance and risk sectors have an important role to play in providing
capital to Miami's climate adaptation projects and providing funding for growing green
industries. Miami already has a strong presence of banks and financial institutions and the the
South Florida economy — and climate — is an ideal setting for testing financial instruments and
expanding green investment portfolios. Combined, the Miami Forever Bond, GHG Plan, and Venture
Miami signal to investors and financial institutions that there is a growing market for green finance
and risk management services. There is also potential to grow existing financial institutions and
resources, like the Climate First Bank or Solar and Energy Logan Fund (SELF), and attract green
businesses accelerators or venture capital firms that provide seed funding.
• Growing demand — both nationally and locally — for sustainable, renewable, and green goods
and services has led to economies of scale and, thereafter, declining costs, creating a
virtuous cycle in which "green" is becoming more and more affordable. This is also evidenced
by FPL's growing investment in solar energy, demand for solar panels on private residences,
demand for EVs and charging infrastructure, and the airport's energy efficiency overhauls. The
expectation is that costs will continue to decline as demand, in Miami and beyond, leads to increased
innovation and reaches higher quantities of scale.
Barriers
• While there is regional consensus about the importance and potential of Miami's new green
economy, there is no champion to focus energy on growing the green economy. A leader is
needed to ensure that a functioning ecosystem is in place to support future job creation, to facilitate
creation and access to living wage jobs to our Black and Brown populations, and to develop
partnerships with local workforce intermediaries and universities. The pockets of the green economy
that are particularly active and visible, such as in the Transportation, Buildings, Energy, and Climate
Resilient Infrastructure, are mostly operating independently of one another. The actors within these
sectors, including private enterprises, nonprofits, civic organizations, and educational institutions
would benefit from stronger connections and alignment of goals and resources.
• While the City of Miami has made considerable progress in working toward shared goals
across sustainability and resilience, City economic and workforce development efforts
related to green jobs are fragmented. The City has limited capacity to engage with emerging green
firms to better understand how evolving public sector investments (GHG Plan) will impact their
Page 88
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
industries and future job creation. The lack of a city -level economic development arm was noted as
a specific concern, alongside need for more deliberate strategies to leverage city procurement rules
to accelerate green opportunities.
• Although the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession are beginning to wane, the
pandemic has had consequential impact on Miami's economy with many Miamians still out of
employment, particularly low-income Black and non -white Hispanic residents. In response,
City leaders have the opportunity to leverage federal and state resources to explicitly support job
creation in sectors best positioned to drive growth and creation of good jobs over the next 10-20
years, which includes the industries across the green sectors. The decisions made today about
economic recovery will have shape the economy, community, and the environment today and in the
decades to come.
• Workforce development programs, middle -skill employers, and Miami's public -school system
require partnerships, resources, and clear direction on how to prepare the local workforce for
the green economy. To ensure that Miami has the workforce to support the growth of the green
economy, it will need to ensure that its workforce is trained for green occupations. Presently,
employers across industries, including Transportation, Buildings, and Technology sectors,
hypothesize that the region's skilled talent supply is insufficient to meet current and future demand
(JPMorgan Chase & Co., 2015). Meanwhile, lower -skilled younger residents and adults report that it
is difficult to access high -demand occupations for a variety of reasons, including skill and education
requirements and visibility of opportunities. Indeed, many lower -income residents, particularly Black
and non -white Hispanic residents, are most often in need of middle -skill jobs, lack high school
diplomas, GEDs, and/or English language proficiency and are thus not necessarily positioned to
pursue these opportunities (JPMorgan Chase & Co., 2015).
Page 89
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Chapter 7: Actions that will Catalyze and Support the Growth
of a New Green Economy
Today, Miami's green economy ecosystem includes many actors that are operating, for the most part,
independently of one another. These actors lack a supportive ecosystem to help them grow, hire, increase
their impacts on the local economy, and provide equitable opportunities. Our goal is to ensure that green
industries have a pathway for growth and that the City plays an active role in paving the way for new
green economic growth and employment. This includes preparing underemployed workers for new green
opportunities, engaging with the current and potential green job holders, fostering connections between
stakeholders, and building business and workforce training capacity and synergies across the entire
ecosystem. While the City has an important role to play in the new green economy, growing an equitable
New Green Economy will require partnerships and actors from all sectors of Miami's economic
ecosystem. The City -led actions are intended to encourage broader, collective actions from the City's
economic development, workforce development, and climate justice stakeholders.
City Authority
As discussed in the GHG Plan, the City of Miami faces practical constraints on its ability to influence all
GHG emissions. The same is true for the City's ability to direct and influence the local economy — we can
directly make change through just a few select channels. We can play an impactful role in creating
demand for green goods and services by purchasing those items, making requirements through
permitting and contracting, and leading by example and through partnerships. The City -led New Economy
actions leverage the City's existing resources (e.g., staff), programs (e.g., Summer Youth Connect
program, Opportunity Center), authority (e.g., zoning and procurement), and regional leadership to
influence Miami's economy.
Community Leadership and Regional Action
The green economy is bigger than just the City of Miami and its borders — it extends across the entire
South Florida region and beyond. Efforts to grow the green economy need to involve the Greater Miami
region and its economic and workforce development institutions, including the Beacon Council, the
Chamber of Commerce, plus a deep bench of colleges, universities, and foundations. All these actors are
already active in Miami's green economy ecosystem in some sort of capacity, either by supporting
workforce and educational development, recruiting green industries, or funding community needs. The
proposed partner led actions, detailed in Table 4 along with the City -led actions, could be led by a regional
green economy champion or could be dispersed across various entitites working together to grow the
green economy.
Page 90
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
State of Illinois' Climate and Equitable Jobs Act
In September 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, setting the
state on a course to phase out fossil fuels in the power sector by 2045. The act more than doubles renewable
energy funding, expands energy efficiency programs, and invests $115 million per year for green job creation
in disadvantaged communities. The bill includes a comprehensive effort to transition workers and
municipalities away from fossil fuels, establishing a "displaced worker bill of rights" to provide training and
benefits to transitioning workers, replacing lost local property tax revenue from energy sources, and investing
in job training, an incubator program for clean energy firms, and a clean jobs workforce network for "equity -
focused populations."
Vancouver's Greenest City Action Plan
Vancouver's Greenest City Action Plan included a major effort to increase the number of green jobs and
businesses engaging in greening their operations. This plan included two green economy targets: the first to
double the number of green jobs from 18,250 in 2010 by 2020, and the second to double the number of
companies actively greening their operations, from the 5% who were in 2011. The effort, still ongoing,
significantly increased the number of jobs in green building construction, local food production, and green
transportation -related industries.
Toronto's Green Jobs Metrics
The City government of Toronto actively tracks and develops its green jobs and workforce, which it estimated
in 2019 to include about 60,000 workers. The City has commissioned research on developing and managing
regional economic clusters, emphasizing a firm -neutral, collaborative approach to economic development at
the industry level. The City has rolled out a Green Market Acceleration Program (GMAP) to coordinate
between green firms, investors, and City officials. Toronto accommodates GMAP participants by lending them
use of City -owned infrastructure for research, pilots, and demonstrations.
Los Angeles' Green New Deal & Green Jobs Target
The City of Los Angeles followed up on its 2015 Sustainable City pLAn with its 2019 Green New Deal, setting
more aggressive GHG emissions reduction goals and a more ambitious economic agenda. The plan aims for
City carbon neutrality by 2050. Among its targets are creating 300,000 green jobs in the City by 2035 and
400,000 by 2050, increasing green sector investment by $2 billion by 2035, and eliminating the gap between
City and county unemployment. Initiatives to achieve these goals will include developing green jobs pipelines
at community colleges and technical schools, creating private sector partnerships to boost apprenticeships,
and offer job retraining for those displaced by the green energy transition and automation. The City also plans
to offer more tax incentives, subsidized loans, and regulatory assistance for green investment (City of Los
Angeles, 2019).
Colorado Community College System's Career Pathways Website
The Colorado Community College System developed an extensive website focused on careers in advanced
manufacturing (Colorado Community College System, 2021). Their effort provides unique industry maps to
highlight occupations positioned for near term growth, placed in context with career pathways that provide
clarity regarding how to get from lower wage opportunities to higher wage opportunities.
Page 91
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
New Green Economy Actions
All of these actions will require continuous engagement with impacted workers, particularly those from
waning industries and those who are un- and under -employed, green job holders, and Pure, Partially, and
Potentially Green industries. Sustained engagement and collaboration will ensure that the new green
economy is working for Miamians.
The objectives of the New Green Economy report spell out GROW. The breakdown of the GROW
framework is as follows:
• G — Grow the Green Economy Ecosystem
o Strong regional economies are underpinned by an ecosystem of actors that each play
important roles in facilitating economic growth. To grow Miami's green economy, we must
consider all factors that support a growing economic ecosystem, including local
leadership and business and industry networks.
• R — Recruit and Retain a Green Workforce
o A critical component of Miami's economy is its workforce. A workforce that is prepared to
capitalize on new and expanded green job opportunities will be attractive to green
industries. Likewise, a key driver of this Green Economy Plan is ensuring that our
workforce has opportunity to access resilient, living -wage jobs.
• 0 — Open Occupational Pathways
o We — the City of Miami, educational institutions, workforce and economic development
organizations, and the private sector — must work together to create green occupational
pathways — from education to job placement - that allow more Miamians to access living
wage jobs.
• W— Welcome and Support Green Industry
o Inviting and attracting green industries to invest, hire, and grow their businesses here is,
ultimately, the goal of this Green Economy Plan. These green industries will not only
bring jobs and economic diversity to Miami but will also ease the transition to a carbon -
free future. These actions are intended to invite and support green industry in Miami.
Table 4. New Green Economy Actions for City of Miami
Grow the Green Economy Ecosystem
Phase 1 (1-3 years)
Action
Action Details
Resilient 305 & Miami Forever
Climate Ready Alignment
NE-1: Work with regional
partners to identify a regional
green economy champion and
align resilience and adaptation
goals.
While ecosystems are not created
overnight, coalition building with regional
partners, including Miami -Dade County,
Beacon Council, the Chamber of
Commerce, CareerSource, and non-
governmental organizations (NG0s), to
identify a green economy champion and
align resilience and adaptation goals from
Resilient305, Miami Forever Climate
Ready, and Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
to intentionally foster creation of a
functioning, inclusive ecosystem which
advances equity and opportunity through
innovation. This "champion" will need to
have long-term staying power, credibility
with a broad array of stakeholder groups,
an intense focus on the green economy
and climate justice, and access to
operational funding.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy,
Action 21: Train for Construction,
&
Action 27: Expand Youth Career
Opportunities
MFCR: Goal 1: Ensure decisions
are data -driven and human
centered Goal 2: Inform,
prepare, and engage our
residents and businesses
Page 92
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
NE-2: Dedicate staff to support
green economic development
goals and implementation of the
GHG Plan.
Dedicate additional full-time equivalent
(FTE) employee capacity within existing
City departments (planning, resiliency,
housing & community development) to
support the green economy champion and
to lead the City's role in growing the green
economy ecosystem (which includes the
actions detailed in this table).
NE-3: Develop a plan for
expanded, permanent
economic development
capacity.
Develop business model for expanded
City -level economic development capacity,
either as a city department or as a public
private partnership, to sustain development
of a functioning green economy
ecosystem, including economic
development incentives and workforce
development resources to support career
and training pathways. This would build
upon Venture Miami efforts.
NE-4: Develop green economy
performance metrics.
Performance metrics are essential in
placing climate investments and
associated job creation in a broader
economic, social, and environmental
context, and documenting progress toward
future goals. The metrics identified in the
GHG Plan (e.g., the number of Electric
Vehicles in use) will serve as a proxy for
measuring the new green economy. The
City will develop separate metrics for
tracking equity goals, including
demographic makeup of industries and
occupations, workforce training recruitment
and participation, and employment
retention.
Recruit and Retain a Green Workforce
Phase 1 (1-3 years)
Action
Action Details
R305 & Miami Forever Climate
Ready Alignment
NE-5: Offer relevant job
trainings through the
Opportunity Center and connect
job seekers to local employers.
The City's Opportunity Center and other
training entities can partner with local
green businesses to surface job orders,
locate trainings in the City, and prioritize
recruiting displaced, underemployed, or
unemployed workers from climate justice
Through this process the City
will gain a better understanding of barriers
to employment in the green economy and
build relationships with workforce and
education partners to develop
programming to bridge the identified gaps.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy,
Action 21: Train for Construction
MFCR: Goal 1: Ensure decisions
are data -driven and human-
Goal 2: Inform,
centered,communities.
prepare, and engage our
residents and businesses
Open Occupational Pathways
Page 93
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Phase 1 (1-3 years)
Action
Action Details
R305 & Miami Forever Climate
Ready Alignment
NE-6: Expand the Miami
Summer Jobs Connect program
to include internships that align
with the new green economy.
Introducing Miami youth to green jobs,
particularly jobs that offer living wages and
long-term growth opportunities, early in
their career can ensure that Miami has a
supply of qualified workers to support
green economic growth and climate action
goals.
Action 27: Expand Youth Career
Opportunities
Welcome and Support Green Industry
Phase 2 (4-6 years)
Action
Action Details
R305 & Miami Forever Climate
Ready Alignment
NE-7: Strengthen the City's
procurement requirements so
that green and sustainable are
not only the preferred option,
but the required option.
Update the language in Chapter 22.5 of the
City Code, Articles I and III, to require City
departments to purchase green goods and
services rather than consider them.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy, Action 57:
Leverage the Power of
Purchasing
MFCR: Goal 2: Inform, prepare,
and engage our residents and
businesses
NE-8: Facilitate expedited
design and permitting review of
projects that will achieve
Miami's GHG and resilience
goals.
Expedited review will reduce costs and
encourage developers, contractors, and
related businesses to pursue sustainable
opportunities.
NE-9: Preserve or enhance
zoning that supports green
industries.
Growth of Miami's green economy will also
change land use needs. It will be important
for the City to identify changes in land -use
needs and preserve or create zoning that
supports green industry needs. Zoning that
supports green industries will also facilitate
location -based economic development
strategies. Formalize resilience and green
economy priorities in the City's
comprehensive plan.
Page 94
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Table 5. Proposed New Green Economy Actions for Partners
Grow the Green Economy Ecosystem
Phase 1 (1-3 years)
Action
Action Details
Resilient 305 & Miami Forever
Climate Ready Alignment
Work with the City of Miami and
other regional partners to
identify a regional green
economy champion and align
sustainability and adaptation
goals.
While ecosystems are not created
overnight, coalition building with regional
partners, including Miami -Dade County,
Beacon Council, the Chamber of
Commerce, CareerSource, and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), to
identify a green economy champion can
happen within the near -term. This coalition
building can include work to align
sustainability and adaptation goals from
Resilient305, Miami Forever Climate Ready,
and Miami Forever Carbon Neutral, which
will help to foster a functioning, inclusive
ecosystem that advances equity and
opportunity through innovation. The green
economy "champion" will need to have long-
term staying power, credibility with a broad
array of stakeholder groups, an intense
focus on the green economy and climate
justice, and access to operational funding.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy,
Action 21: Train for Construction,
&
Action 27: Expand Youth Career
Opportunities
MFCR: Goal 2: Inform, prepare,
and engage residents and
businesses
Identify and grow green
financing opportunities.
Access to capital is essential for businesses
to grow and hire and to facilitate large-scale
public investments. The new green
economy champion and/or supporting
partners will need to build out the green
economy ecosystem by identifying and
growing green financing opportunities, either
through recruitment of financial firms to the
Miami market or expansion of offerings from
existing financial organizations.
Recruit and Retain a Green Workforce
Phase 1 (1-3 years)
Action
Action Details
R305 & Miami Forever Climate
Ready Alignment
Develop a resource that
highlights green career
pathways.
Building off The Miami Foundation's Labor
Miami website, creating a resource that
outlines various green career pathways,
which will help people understand the
benefits of a green career and how to start
their green career. This resource could
highlight educational and skill requirements,
transferable skill mapping, and career
pathways including steps and skills needed
to advance to higher -wage careers.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy
MFCR: Goal 2: Inform, prepare,
and engage our residents and
businesses
Phase 2 (4-6 years)
Page 95
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Develop a recruitment strategy
and marketing campaign to
showcase the benefits of green
jobs and recruit young people to
living wage career pathways.
A recruitment strategy and marketing
campaign will aim to match climate justice
communities and underserved residents
with living wage jobs in the green economy.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy, Action 21:
Train for Construction, &
Action 27: Expand Youth Career
Opportunities
MFCR: Goal 2: Inform, prepare,
and engage our residents and
businesses
Locate green workforce
trainings in climate justice
communities.
In support of the recruitment strategy to
match residents with living wage jobs, green
workforce trainings and supportive assets,
including certification programs, should
have a sustained presence in climate justice
communities.
Open Occupational Pathways
Phase 1 (1-3 years)
Action
Action Details
R305 & Miami Forever Climate
Ready Alignment
Create a green jobs consortium
tasked with ensuring that
Miami's workforce is prepared
for the green economy.
In collaboration with the green economy
regional champion, this consortium should
include representatives from local colleges
and universities, (existing) green
businesses, trade organizations, local
government, economic development
organizations, and community groups,
particularly those that represent climate
justice communities. Work could include
updating school programs, training, and
apprenticeship curricula meet the needs of
green employers, expanding green job -
related training opportunities (and reducing
barriers to access those opportunities),
matching resource needs with resources,
connecting employers with potential
employees, and standardizing job
requirements.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy,
Action 21: Train for Construction,
&
Action 27: Expand Youth Career
Opportunities
MFCR: Goal 1: Ensure decisions
are data -driven and human -
centered, Goal 2: Inform,
prepare, and engage our
residents and businesses
Identify industries and
occupations that have the
highest projected job growth or
are at greatest risk for near-
term transition due to climate
action efforts.
Identify the green industries and
occupations that are expected to see the
most job growth in the next decade and
identify the non -green industries and
occupations that are exacerbating climate
change and/or are expected to wane as the
national and global market becomes
greener. Develop workforce transition
pathways that match skills from the
declining occupations to skills in green
occupations, particularly those that are
expected to grow.
Expand green workforce
training programs at colleges,
universities, trade associations,
and MDUSD, and establish paid
green apprenticeship programs.
The green jobs consortium should endeavor
to expand the capacity of existing green
workforce programs, including Miami Dade
College's EV technician certification and
University of Miami's green business
programs, and increase the variety of green
Page 96
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
training offerings. Encourage partnerships
with high schools and community colleges
to ensure that high -growth green pathways
have a backlog of students and employees.
Support the creation of paid apprenticeship
programs, similar to WASCO's program, to
ease access to green jobs.
Welcome and Support Green Industry
Phase 1 (1-3 years)
Action
Action Details
R305 & Miami Forever Climate
Ready Alignment
Engage with local businesses,
property owners, and large
employers to encourage the
development and
implementation of green
procurement policies.
Businesses in Miami's traditional sectors
spent $5 billion on goods and services from
businesses participating in Miami's green
sectors in 2019; Yet just 6% of those
purchases were from Pure Green industries
while 94% ($4.6 billion) of these purchases
were from Partially Green industries.
Encouraging businesses in Miami's
traditional sectors to adopt green
procurement policies could have a $4.6
billion impact on greening the economy.
This effort should include working with the
South Florida Anchor Alliance to integrate
GHG mitigation and climate resilience into
their equity -focused procurement practices.
R305: Action 57: Leverage the
Power of Purchasing
Engage with local businesses to
design incentives to support
"greening."
Miami has a robust, vibrant local business
community that, collectively, are major
providers and purchasers of goods and
services and major employers. Greening
local businesses will be important for
achieving GHG mitigation and climate
justice goals. To support this transition, we
will need to understand what type of support
will be helpful for either purchasing green
goods or services or to transition to offer
green goods or services.
R305: Action 20: Build an
Inclusive Economy
MFCR: Goal 1: Ensure decisions
are data -driven and human
centered, Goal 2: Inform,
prepare, and engage our
residents and businesses
Phase 2 (4-6 years)
Create a green incubation hub.
Work with Venture Miami to create a
mechanism for businesses and
entrepreneurs to pitch climate action
initiatives related to business and tech
solutions and secure funding, startup
resources, and use of City assets for testing
products and ideas. This concept inspired
by Toronto's Green Market Acceleration
Program)
Page 97
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Next Steps
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us the importance of resilience, equity, and modernization. Now, it is
critical that we take decisive action to ensure our economic recovery efforts reflect these tenets. As
immediate next steps, the City of Miami will focus on foundational actions that will support the expansion
of this new economic sector. To enable this, the City needs to identify full-time equivalent staff time to
focus on and begin work on City -specific actions. Beyond the City, key regional stakeholders including
neighbor cities, Miami -Dade County, Beacon Council, workforce development intermediaries, green
businesses, climate advocacy groups, and educational institutions, need to come together and
collectively identify a regional green economy champion. A green economy champion is needed to lead
on collaborating with public and private sector leaders; providing leadership and vision related to green
economy goals; supporting start-up, retention, and expansion efforts; and taking ownership of green
economy metrics (e.g., jobs, recruitment, wages, companies, and opportunities). This "champion", which
may be a person, office, entity, or a coalition, will need to have long-term staying power, credibility with a
broad audience of stakeholders, institutions, and businesses, an intense focus on the green economy and
climate justice, and access to operational funding.
With a regional green economy champion in place, the proposed actions for growing the green economy
can begin to take form. As the City updates its GHG Plan, we will maintain open channels of
communication with workers, businesses, educational institutions, community organizations, public
agencies, and residents to collaborate and report on the positive economic impacts of the GHG Plan and
related climate actions.
Page 98
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Bibliography
Alliance forAutomative Innovation. (2021). US Light -Duty Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV) Sales
(2011-2021). Retrieved from https://www.autosinnovate.org/resources/electric-vehicle-sales-
dashboard
C40 Cities. (2015). Cities100: Toronto - Promoting Efficiency in New Developments. Retrieved from C40
Cities: https://www.c40.org/case_studies/cities 100-tronto-promoting-efficiency-in-new-
developments
C40 Cities. (2019). C40 Green Economy & Innovation Forum Webinar on Measuring Green Jobs in
Cities. Retrieved from https://www.c40.org/programmes/green-economy-innovation-forum
C40 Cities. (2021). Why Cities? Retrieved from https://www.c40.org/why_cities
Calgary Economic Development. (2016). Calgary Region's Green Energy Economy. Retrieved from
https://delphi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/135.pdf
City of Edmonton. (2018). Edmonton's Green Energy Economy. Retrieved from https://delphi.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2019/09/Edmonton_Green_Energy_Economy_Report_Web_Version_2018. pdf
City of Los Angeles. (2019). L.A.'s Green New Deal: Sustainable City pLAn. Retrieved from
https://plan. lamayor.org/sites/default/files/pLAn_2019_final.pdf
City of Miami. (2021). Proposed Capital Budget Fiscal Year 2020-21. Retrieved from
http://archive.miamigov.com/Budget/docs/FY21 /FY%202020-
21%20Proposed%20Capital%20PIan%20-%20Web%20Version.pdf
Colorado Community College System. (2021). Advanced Manufacturing. Retrieved from Colorado's
Advanced Manufacturing Industry: https://cocareeractiontools.com/
Emsi. (2020). Occupational Data. Retrieved from Emsi:
https://economicmodeling.com/2020/06/17/occupation-data/
Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation. (2010). Green Jobs Survey Report. State of Florida. Retrieved
from https://docplayer.net/6899892-Reen-jobs-survey-report-state-of-florida.html
FPL. (2020). Reliable Power: In the Air and Underground. Retrieved from
https://www.fpl.com/content/dam/fpl/us/en/news/pdf/energy-news-q2-2020.pdf
Garcetti, E., Sala, G., Aboutaleb, A., Aki-Sawyerr, Y., Cantrell, L., Capp, S., ... Won -soon, P. (2020). C40
Mayors' Agenda Fora Green and Just Recovery. Retrieved from https://c40-production-
images.s3.amazonaws.com/other_uploads/images/2093_C40_Cities_%282020%29_Mayors_Ag
enda_for_a_Green_a nd_J ust_Recovery. orig inal. pdf? 1594824518
Georgeson, L., & Maslin, M. (2019). Estimating the Scale of the US Green Economy Within the Global
Context. Palgrave Communications, 5(121). doi:10.1057/s41599-019-0329-3
Hall, K. G. (2020, April 6). For Miami's unbanked, stimulus checks come with hurdles. Retrieved from
Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article241805346.html
International labour Organization. (2016, April 13). What is a Green Job? Retrieved from International
labour Organization: https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/green-jobs/news/WCMS_220248/lang--
en/index.htm
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (2015). Trading on Innovation to Expand Opportunity. Retrieved from
https://www.jpmorganchase.com/content/dam/jpmc/jpmorgan-chase-and-co/documents/54841-
jpmc-gap-miami-online-aw4-vl .pdf
Martindale. (2021). Martindale. Retrieved from Environmental Lawyers: https://www.martindale.com/
Miami -Dade Beacon Council. (2021). Miami -Dade Beacon Council 2019-2020 Annual Report. Retrieved
from https://www. beaconcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/BEA_ANNUAL-REPORT-
2021_FINAL.pdf
MIT. (2021). Living Wage Calculator. Retrieved from https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/12086
Muro, M., Rothwell, J., & Saha, D. (2011). Sizing the Clean Economy: A National and Regional Green
Jobs Assessment. Brookings Institution. Retrieved from
https://www.brookings.edu/research/sizing-the-clean-economy-a-national-and-regional-green-
jobs-assessment/
Muro, M., Tomer, A., Shivaram, R., & Kane, J. (2019). Advancing Inclusion Through Clean Energy Jobs.
Brookings Institution. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/research/advancing-inclusion-
through-clean-energy-jobs/
O*NET OnLine. (2020). Occupation Search. Retrieved from O*NET OnLine: O*NET OnLine
Page 99
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
OECD. (2012). Sustainable Development, Green Growth, and Quality Employment. Retrieved from
https://www.oecd.org/employment/emp/50318559.pdf
Popp, D., Vona, F., Marin, G., & Chen, Z. (2020). The Employment Impact of Green Fiscal Push:
Evidence from the American Recovery Act. National Bureau of Economic Research, 1-65.
Retrieved from https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w27321 /w27321.pdf
Puget Sound Regional Council. (2009). Clean Tech Cluster Analysis Update for the Puget Sound Region.
Retrieved from
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.643.4102&rep=repl &type=pdf
Quintana, A. (2018, December 19). A Tale Of Too Much 'Wishcycling': A Look At Miami-Dade's Low
Recycle Rate. Retrieved from WLRN: https://www.wlrn.org/news/2018-12-19/a-tale-of-too-much-
wishcycling-a-look-at-miami-dades-low-recycle-rate
Stoevska, V., & Hunter, D. (2012). Proposals for the Statistical Definition and Measurement of Green
Jobs. Retrieved from http://ina.bnu.edu.cn/docs/20140604145534115744.pdf
The Miami Foundation. (2020). Give Miami Day. Retrieved from Give Miami Day 2020 Registered
Organizations: https://www.givemiamiday.org/
Tuohey, P., Zea, L., Parker, O., & Tuttle, S. (2021). Communities and the Gig Economy. Retrieved from
https://better-cities.org/wp-content/uploads/2021 /04/Gig-Economy-Better-Cities-Project.pdf
UN Development Programme. (2012). Green Economy in Action: Articles and Excerpts that Illustrate
Green Economy and Sustainable Development Efforts. Retrieved from
https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/pdf/green_economy_in_action_eng.pdf
UN Environmental Program. (2008). Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low -Carbon
World. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/wcrosp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---
emp_ent/documents/publication/wcros_158727.pdf
UN Environmental Program. (2011). Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development
and Poverty Eradication. Retrieved from
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/126GER_synthesis_en.pdf
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013). Measuring Green Jobs. Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/green/home.htm
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021). Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Retrieved from US Bureau of
Labor Statistics: https://www.bIs.gov/lau/
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Retrieved from US
Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/cew/
US Census Bureau. (2018). Longitudinal Employer -Household Dynamics OnTheMap. Retrieved from
https://onthemap.ces.census.gov/
US Census Bureau. (2019). 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, City of Miami.
Retrieved from US Census Bureau: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/advanced
US Census Bureau. (2020). Hispanic or Latino Origin.
US Department of Education. (2003). Literacy in Everyday Life: Results from the 2003 National
Assessment of Adult Literacy. National Center of Education Statistics. Retrieved from
https://nces.ed.gov/Pubs2007/2007480.pdf
Vancouver Economic Commission. (2018). State of Vancouver's Green Economy 2018. Retrieved from
https://storage.googleapis.com/production-vec-
uploads/2018/06/State_of Vancouvers_Green_Economy_2018_Report_Vancouver_Economic_C
ommission.compressed.pdf
Page 100