Clean energy jobs overtake fossil fuel sector but wages lag behind

(Climate Home News, 8 Sep 2022) Clean energy now provides more employment than the fossil fuel industry, reflecting the shift that efforts to tackle climate change are having on the global jobs market, according to a report Thursday.

The International Energy Agency said a post-pandemic jobs rebound in the sector has been driven by emissions-cutting technologies such as electric vehicle production, building insulation, solar projects and wind farms.

Clean energy, which under IEA’s definition includes nuclear power, is now estimated to account for more than half the 65 million energy sector jobs globally.

However, the Paris-based agency said high energy prices including for fossil fuels have seen an upswing in employment, notably for liquefied natural gas infrastructure. Many countries in Europe are scrambling to find alternatives to Russian gas supplies due to the war in Ukraine.

It also noted that wages in clean energy jobs lag behind those in the fossil fuel industry, where unionization rates are higher and risky work has been compensated with higher pay. The exception is nuclear, due to the highly skilled labor needed, the agency said.

External link

Climate Home News, 8 Sep 2022: Clean energy jobs overtake fossil fuel sector but wages lag behind