Investment in energy efficiency, renewables and electricity grids can generate 9 million jobs over 3 years: Fatih Birol, Executive Director, IEA
Electricity grids, building renovation and modernisation along with energy efficiency and renewables can create 9 million jobs globally in next 3 years, Birol said.
New Delhi: The global investment in energy efficiency, renewables and electricity grids can generate around 9 million jobs over the course of three years, according to Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA).
“Energy efficiency, renovation, buildings and renewable energy especially solar power creates millions of jobs. Electricity grids, building renovation and modernisation along with energy efficiency and renewables can create 9 million jobs globally in next 3 years,” Birol said at IEA’s Fifth Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency held recently.
He added that these sustainable measures can boost global economic growth by an average of 1.0 percentage points a year. Energy efficiency is a job machine, even the governments who do not care about clean energy or climate change, do care about economic growth and jobs, Birol said, adding that the governments should go for energy efficiency measures if they take job creation seriously.
Ajay Mathur, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) who was also present at the conference said that all over the world we are seeing economic stimulus packages on jobs, sustainable livelihoods and economic growth and this is exactly what energy efficiency brings to the table.
“Energy efficiency creates jobs which are sustainable and are there forever and at the same time it increases productivity by saving money and enhancing economic growth,” Mathur said. He added one thing which is emerging across the world geographies is the need for more and more cooling and therefore it is absolutely important that air-conditioners are energy efficient.
According to Mathur, energy efficiency in industries increases productivity particularly in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) creating huge employment opportunities. To encourage the SMEs to adopt the energy efficiency measures be it in efficient motors, boilers, furnaces etc, we need to provide them a certain economic package to gain their confidence, he said.
Source: IEA
