"Working for the climate" is a study to determine the potential of "green jobs" in the energy sector, and how this potential is similar to an approach business-as-usual, with little or no action taken to avoid change climate. The study notes that under a voluntary energy scenario opting for Change (Energy [R] evolution scenario), there would be an overall increase of about 2 million jobs in the energy sector during next 20 years, and with a real energy revolution, there would be more than 8 million jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency - three times the number of jobs under a business as usual approach.
A switch from coal to produce electricity through renewable energy will not just avoiding 10 billion tons of CO2 emissions, but will also create 2.7 million jobs by 2030. Conversely, the coal industry worldwide - which currently represents about 4.7 million employees worldwide - is likely to lay off more than 1.4 million jobs by 2030, due to rationalization measures in the existing coal mines.
The report "Working for the Climate: The Renewable Energy and Green Job [R] evolution" (Work for Climate: Renewable Energy & Green Jobs [R] evolution) is based on a previously published report by Greenpeace and EREC (Energy [R] evolution: A Sustainable Global Energy Outlook) and a Research Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) which is based at the University of Technology Sydney.
The report shows that in 2030 6.9 million people could work for the renewable energy sector, and 1.1 million jobs will be created through more efficient appliances.
