Renewable energy and jobs – what prospects does the market offer?
Renewable energies are cost-effective, flexible and resilient and they employ more and more people worldwide. This is the conclusion of the latest study by IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency), which estimated that approximately 11.5 million jobs in the renewable sector were created in 2019. Around the world politicians are calling for a Green Deal - creating jobs while decarbonising our economies. And indeed it does sound like a great plan: battling climate change while creating jobs. But is the rise of renewables really connected to a substantial increase in jobs? Michael Renner, Programme Officer at IRENA, tells us.
Timeline:
- 2.45: What are the current figures?
- 5.32: About countries with the biggest potential
- 9.42: Which qualifications are currently in particular demand?
- 13.48: What is the specific situation in the sector of energy storage and emobility?
Published: April 22, 2021
Listen to episode 47 of The smarter E Podcast
Click on the logo to listen to the podcast on the platform of your choice.
About Michael Renner & IRENA
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an international governmental organization dedicated to promoting the development and sustainable use of renewable energy worldwide. Founded in Bonn in 2009, it currently has 149 members, with another 27 countries in the process of joining. IRENA represents the global voice for renewable energy in international debates. Michael Renner is a Programme Officer in IRENA’s Knowledge Policy and Finance Centre in Abu Dhabi, with a focus on the socio-economic benefits of renewable energy. Prior to joining IRENA in 2017, he was a Senior Researcher at the Worldwatch Institute, a US-based research organisation. His principal focus since the early 1990s has been on the linkages between environment, energy and employment.
