A switch from coal to renewable
electricity generation will not just avoid 10 billion tons of CO2
emissions, but will create 2.7 million more jobs by 2030 than if we
continue business as usual. Conversely, the global coal industry –
which currently supports about 4.7 million employees worldwide – is
likely to contract by more than 1.4 million jobs by 2030, due to
rationalization measures in existing coal mines.
“Global leaders can tackle the twin
crises of global economic recession and climate change head on by
investing in renewable energy,” said Damon Moglen, Greenpeace USA
global arming campaign director. “For each job lost in the coal
industry our green energy scenario, known as the Energy
[R]evolution, creates three new jobs in the renewable power
industry. We can choose green jobs and growth or unemployment,
ecological and social collapse.”
Greenpeace’s latest research provides a
model for cutting emissions while achieving economic growth,
illustrates how the transition to clean energy will provide more
jobs by 2030 in the power sector than would be available if it
stays on the current carbon-intensive path. However, leaders and
governments must act on this information as soon as possible to
provide necessary jobs and retraining.
“Now is the time to put in place a ‘just
transition’ to sustainably transform the jobs of today and develop
the decent and green jobs of tomorrow, “added Guy Ryder, General
Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
“The union movement, as well as the authors of this report, believe
ambitious climate action by world leaders can and must be a driver
for sustainable economic growth and social progress.”
The report: ‘Working for the Climate:
Renewable Energy & The Green Job [R]evolution’ is based on
Greenpeace’s Energy [R]evolution (1) and research from the
Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) at the University of
Technology Sydney (2). The report shows that by 2030, 6.9 million
people could work for the renewable power industry, and another 1.1
million jobs would be created due to higher efficiency in
electrical applications (3).
“There are already 450,000 people working
in the renewable energy industry in Europe,
representing a turnover of more than EUR
40 billion. This research proves that renewable energy is key to
tackling both the climate and economic crises,” said Christine
Lins, Secretary General of the European Renewable Energy Council
(EREC).
Contacts:
Michael Crocker, Greenpeace USA media
director, 202-215-8989
Alexandra Dawe, Greenpeace International
communications officer: +31 629 00 1146
Sven Teske, Greenpeace Climate and Energy
Campaigner in Canberra/ Australia: +61434083712
Greenpeace international Press Desk, +31
20 718 24 70
Notes: 1. In October 2008 Greenpeace International and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) published a report called Energy [R]evolution: a Sustainable Global Energy Outlook that sets out a vision for a low-carbon global energy supply comparing it to the energy projection put forward by the International Energy Agency (IEA 2007). The report was developed in conjunction with specialists from the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Dutch Institute Ecofys and more than 40 scientists and engineers from universities, institutes and the renewable energy industry around the world.
2. Greenpeace undertook this new study to determine whether there would be jobs created by this nine-fold increase in renewable energy, and massive global energy efficiency measures required for the Energy [R]evolution by researching jobs in power generation and electrical efficiency (excluding heating, cooling and transport).
3. Efficiency to improve building insulation is not included in this number and would be additional.
For a full copy of the report please go to: www.greenpeace.org/greenjobs or visit www.energyblueprint.info
To get a copy of our media briefing on this report please go to: www.greenpeace.org/greenjobsbriefing
For a full list of Greenpeace climate briefings please go to: www.greenpeace.org/climatepolicy
Greenpeace’s Copenhagen Climate Summit Demands:
-We now know that an increase in global temperature of even 1.5°C could lead to irreversible impacts and 2°C risks triggering catastrophic runaway climate change. A global plan is needed that ensures that global emissions peak by 2015 and be as close to zero as possible by 2050, compared to 1990 levels;
-Industrialized countries must commit to at least 40% emissions cuts by 2020, compared to 1990 levels;
-Industrialized countries must provide adequate and predictable funding of USD 140 billion a year to support clean energy and other mitigation activities, forest protection and adaptation in developing countries;
-A funding mechanism for ending gross deforestation and associated emissions in developing countries by 2020 must be established with priority protection given to areas with high conservation value and those areas important for the livelihood of indigenous peoples and forest communities;
-Developing countries should achieve at least 15-30 % deviation from projected greenhouse gas emissions growth by 2020. Two thirds of these emissions reductions should be supported by industrialized countries.
