Race to Cut Carbon Emissions Splits U.S. States on Nuclear
Renewable Energy Jobs Reach 12 Million Worldwide, Report Says
October 21, 2021 by Dan McCue
The number of people working in the renewable energy sector worldwide reached 12 million last year, up from 11.3 million in 2019, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The eighth edition of “Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2021,” was written and released in collaboration with the International Labour Organization.
“Renewable energy’s ability to create jobs and meet climate goals is beyond doubt. With COP26 in front of us, governments must raise their ambition to reach net zero,” said Francesco La Camera, IRENA Director-General in a written statement.
“The only path forward is to increase investments in a just and inclusive transition, reaping the full socioeconomic benefits along the way,” La Camera said.
Like most employment and business reports looking at the past year, this year’s analysis of the renewable energy sector clearly shows the coronavirus pandemic caused project delays and supply chain disruptions, both which impact job creation.
While solar and wind jobs continued leading global employment growth in the renewable energy sector, accounting for 4 million and 1.25 million jobs respectively, liquid biofuels employment decreased as demand for transport fuels fell.
Off-grid solar lighting sales also suffered, but companies were able to limit job losses.
On a country basis, China accounted for a 39% share of renewable energy jobs worldwide in 2020, followed by Brazil, India, the United States, and members of the European Union.
Many other countries also saw a meaningful uptick in renewables job creation.
Among them were Vietnam and Malaysia, key solar PV exporters; Indonesia and Colombia, with large agricultural supply chains for biofuels; and Mexico and the Russian Federation, where wind power is growing.
In sub-Saharan Africa, solar jobs are expanding in diverse countries like Nigeria, Togo, and South Africa, the report said.
“The potential for renewable energy to generate decent work is a clear indication that we do not have to choose between environmental sustainability on the one hand, and employment creation on the other. The two can go hand-in-hand,” said ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder.
Looking forward, IRENA and the ILO suggest more jobs will be gained by the transition to renewable energy than lost.
An ILO global sustainability scenario to 2030 estimates that the 24-25 million new jobs will far surpass losses of between six and seven million jobs.
Some five million of the workers who lose their jobs will be able to find new jobs in the same occupation in another industry, the labor organization said.
Meanwhile, IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook forecasts that the renewable energy sector could employ 43 million by 2050.
Dan can be reached at dan@thewellnews.com and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue.
In The News
Health
Voting
Energy
January 18, 2022
by Race to Cut Carbon Emissions Splits U.S. States on Nuclear
Race to Cut Carbon Emissions Splits U.S. States on Nuclear
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — As climate change pushes states in the U.S. to dramatically cut their use of fossil fuels,... Read More
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — As climate change pushes states in the U.S. to dramatically cut their use of fossil fuels, many are coming to the conclusion that solar, wind and other renewable power sources might not be enough to keep the lights on. Nuclear power is... Read More
January 12, 2022
by Dan McCue
Biden Administration Advances Renewable Energy Projects
WASHINGTON — Seven federal executive branch agencies have begun rolling out wind, solar and other clean energy projects, the White... Read More
WASHINGTON — Seven federal executive branch agencies have begun rolling out wind, solar and other clean energy projects, the White House announced Wednesday morning. According to a senior administration official, the effort builds on President Biden’s commitment to “pull every lever” to scale up the use... Read More
January 7, 2022
by Tom Ramstack
White House Allocates Funds for Poor to Pay Heating Bills
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced details Friday for how it will fund energy costs for low-income persons this winter... Read More
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced details Friday for how it will fund energy costs for low-income persons this winter as a cold wave swept over the nation. A White House statement described increased funding under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program as another victory... Read More
January 6, 2022
by Tom Ramstack
California Wildfires Show Need for Underground Power Lines
WASHINGTON — California fire officials this week accelerated calls for drastic action to confront global warming when they blamed overhead... Read More
WASHINGTON — California fire officials this week accelerated calls for drastic action to confront global warming when they blamed overhead power lines for the second biggest wildfire in the state’s history. The Dixie Fire burned nearly 1 million acres last year, sparked by an overhead power... Read More
December 29, 2021
by Reece Nations
GAO Presses Lawmakers to Improve DOE Carbon Capture Projects
WASHINGTON — The Government Accountability Office is pressing lawmakers to institute legislation that would improve oversight and accountability of the... Read More
WASHINGTON — The Government Accountability Office is pressing lawmakers to institute legislation that would improve oversight and accountability of the Department of Energy’s carbon capture and storage demonstration project expenditures. GAO conducted a study of DOE’s investment of $1.1 billion in carbon capture and storage projections... Read More
December 29, 2021
by Dan McCue
Biden Administration Pulls Support for Coal Plants, Carbon-Intensive Projects Overseas
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has ordered an end to federal support for the construction of coal plants and other... Read More
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has ordered an end to federal support for the construction of coal plants and other carbon-intensive projects overseas. The policy, which was communicated to U.S. embassies earlier this month, is expected to be fully in force by the end of 2022... Read More
News From The Well
