If you were to unveil a new initiative called “Green Jobs for Blue Waters,” wouldn’t Earth Day be the perfect day to make the announcement?

Last Wednesday (Earth Day), Lt. Governor John Cherry officially kicked-off MEDC’s newest economic diversification initiative at a press conference in Detroit. Green Jobs for Blue Waters targets the growing water technology sector as the next sector in which Michigan is well-positioned for economic leadership, similar to biofuels, wind, solar and advanced battery development and manufacturing.

Green Jobs for Blue Waters and the partnership with Miya are a result of Governor Granholm’s investment mission to Israel in November 2008 and the corresponding Memorandum of Understanding she signed with Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishi on November 17, 2008. Granholm traveled to Israel and the Middle East last year to meet with government and company officials in an effort to develop water-technology partnerships and encourage investment in Michigan.

Water technologies represent a $500 billion global market, and that market is expected to grow to $1 trillion by 2020. Estimates show at least 36 states will face increasingly severe water shortages within the next five years. With our state’s unique strengths: excellent universities, skilled workforce, over 400 water sector companies and more fresh water coastline than any place on earth, we are poised to become the global center for this growing market. And, that means attracting new investment, growing new companies and creating new jobs, all while protecting our most precious natural resource.

Tagged as: economic diversification, green jobs initiative, water technology sector

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