"Growing automation and corporate consolidation are already translating into steadily fewer jobs in the oil, natural gas, and coal industries - sometimes even in the face of expanding production," according to the latest 'Vital Signs Update' from the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington DC-based research institute focused on sustainability issues.
Meanwhile, "renewables are poised to tackle our energy crisis and create millions of new jobs worldwide," says Michael Renner, senior researcher at Worldwatch.
In Europe, the promise of millions of new jobs created by the so-called green economy have also been made by top EU officials, including Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
The Commission's package of climate and energy proposals, designed to cut CO2 emissions by 20% while reaching a 20% share of renewables in final energy consumption by 2020, "is an opportunity that should create thousands of new businesses and millions of jobs in Europe," Barroso said during the presentation of the plans on 23 January.
EU estimates vary with respect to how many jobs might be created in Europe's green economy. The Commission's 2006 renewable energy 'roadmap' points to 650,000 jobs in the sector by 2020, while a renewable energy modelling initiative produced by the EU executive in 2003 nearly triples that figure to 2.5 million. Worldwatch says the wind and solar industries alone could provide over eight million jobs worldwide by 2030.
In the shorter term, financing, skills and materials supply shortages in key renewables sectors like wind are likely to put a dampener on job growth (see EurActiv 02/04/08).
But as fossil fuel prices continue to climb and concerns about climate change increase, the promise of green jobs is receiving "unprecedented attention", with more and more investors taking an interest, says Worldwatch.
