Key economic sectors for green job creation in Poland – an empirical analysis

In this study, we employed a stepwise empirical approach to identify economic sectors and analyze the regional potential for green job (GJ) creation in Poland. We used the operating register of economic entities (REGON) and Polish Labor Force Survey (BAEL) data for the period between 2015 and 2022. The changes in REGON reflect a proxy of changes in GJ stock in sectors of economic activity (PKD-2007) and regions. We estimated trends and spatial diversification of green employment. The results revealed that Mazowieckie, Wielkopolskie, Małopolskie, and Śląskie are the most attractive regions for GJ creation. The polarization of green employment declined during the analyzed period, but spatial disparities were still significant. Most sectors noted increases in GJ, except for agriculture, where the downward trend in employment has a significant influence on the green labour market. Our findings may be useful when formulating policy recommendations for educational institutions, employment institutions, local governments, government institutions, investors, and employers.