The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says 10 million jobs could be created and sustained around the world with sound environment management.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Juan Somavia, the Director-General of ILO, made available to newsmen preparatory to World Environment Day on  Saturday.

Somavia said this could be achieved by recovering degraded forests, wetlands and river systems which conserved soils and by ensuring clean water supplies.

He said: “The shock of the economic crisis is an opportunity to steer a new course towards strong, sustainable and balanced growth,” he  said.

“In responding to the imperative of a jobs-rich recovery, we can draw on the job-creating potential of environment protection”.

“At the same time we can begin putting in place measures to secure a shift to a low carbon and environmentally-friendly economy.

“All can benefit from a green economy, protecting biodiversity and natural resources is to protect and create jobs for today and tomorrow”.

“It will require a sound process of social dialogue engaging all stakeholders to make the trade-offs, facilitate adjustment to change and mobilise know-how, energy and resources.”

Somavia said, experience had shown that poverty was neither a justification for inaction nor a barrier to action and indeed poverty was strong reason to act with haste.

“Abuse of the natural environment for short-term gain impoverishes communities and societies; the impact is eventually global,” he said.

He said that natural resources accounted for half of the GDP of the poor, even when the recorded average contribution to the national economy might be less than 10 per cent.

“Preserving natural resources and being attentive to how they are tapped economically is fundamental to achieving the Millennium Development Goals,” Somavia said.

He said biodiversity and natural resources were of immense economic and social significance to economies, enterprises and workers everywhere.