Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 5.3 UNEP estimates
by technology/location.
'Green jobs' UNEP ( 2008 )
Renewable Energy jobs
Wind 300,000
Germany 82,100
United States 36,800
Spain 35,000
China 22,200
Denmark 21,000
India 10,000
Solar PV 170,000
China 55,000
Germany 35,000
Spain 26,449
United States 15,700
Solar thermal 624,000-plus
China 600,000
Germany 13,300
Spain 9,142
United States 1,900
Biomass 1,174,000
Brazil 500,000
United States 312,200
China 266,000
Germany 95,400
Spain 10,349
Hydropower 39,000-plus
Europe 20,000
United States 19,000
Geothermal 25,000
United States 21,000
Germany 4,200
Renewables , combined 2,332,000
Trade unions in the UK and elsewhere have been relatively quick to recognise the
importance of this new pattern of employment. However, while they have welcomed
the growth of green jobs, they also worry about pay and conditions and the possible
trend to nonunionised work. The UK's Trades Union Congress (TUC) has been
campaigning for what are sometimes called 'just jobs' - green jobs which are sus-
tainable and safe as well as properly paid - as part of a 'just transition'. The positive
side of this refl ects the workers' plans for socially useful work that emerged in the
UK in the 1970s (Wainwright and Elliott 1982 ).
There is also a wider dimension to the transition concept. It is sometimes argued
that, in order to deal with climate change and other environmental constraints, there
will have to be a reduction in the level of economic growth. More immediately, the
transition to renewables will mean the loss of jobs in conventional energy industries,
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search