NEW ENERGY, NEW JOBS, [R]EVOLUTION

Greenpeace energy blueprint shows governments how investing in green energy jobs can save the climate and end fossil fuel addiction
7 June 2010 (Greenpeace International)

"The renewable power industry could support 8.5 million jobs by 2030…if governments seize the opportunity to invest in a greener future, according to…[a new report from] Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC).

"Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook, provides a detailed practical blueprint for cutting carbon emissions while achieving economic growth by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy and energy efficiency. This phase-out of fossil fuels offers substantial benefits such as energy security, independence from world market fuel prices as well as the creation of millions of new green jobs…"

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"The Energy [R]evolution scenario shows how to create about 12 million jobs, that is 8.5 million in the renewables sector alone, by 2030. Under business as usual global renewable power jobs would be only 2.4 million of the global power sector’s 8.7 million jobs. By implementing the Energy [R]evolution 3.2 million or over 33% more jobs globally will be created in the power sector…

"The sustainable future of the planet is rooted in the investment in people and local communities who can install and maintain renewable energy sources, rather than further subsidising dirty and finite fossil fuels. The overall annual market for renewable technology will increase from around US$100 billion today, to more than US$600 billion by 2030."

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"Key to making the Energy [R]evolution a reality is creating a system in which investment costs are shared fairly under a global climate regime. One such mechanism, discussed in the report, is the Greenhouse Development Rights framework (GDR)…which calculates national shares of global greenhouse gas obligations based on a combination of responsibility (contribution to climate change) and capacity (ability to pay)…

"Global CO2 emissions under the Energy [R]evolution scenario would peak in 2015 and drop afterwards. Compared with 1990 CO2 emissions will be more than 80% lower by 2050 if the energy supply is based almost entirely on renewable energies. By 2050 around 95% of electricity could be produced by renewable energy…"