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Florida Lagging on Green Jobs
NGA analyzed the 50 states’ green economies to pinpoint the most promising areas for R&D investment, workforce development and comparative advantage. Florida has high numbers of environmental jobs — about 10,000 — and recycling/waste jobs — about 9,000. But the state lags the national average for concentrations in those and 13 other green job categories as a percentage of total employment.
Only two bright spots among the 15 green-job categories analyzed — water/wastewater and green building — were growing faster than the national average.
NGA also looked at patent activity and venture capital funding, though it did not compare those among states. Between 2006 and 2008, Florida inventors registered 61 green technology patents, a decrease of 12% since the prior period of 2003-05.
Meanwhile “cleantech” VC investment in Florida attracted $44.5 million in 2008, down from $72.5 million in 2007. Nationwide, cleantech investment reached an all-time high of $6 billion in 2008, according to the report.
