China, U.S and EU to create 1m new green jobs

Around one million new “green jobs” are expected to be created in China, the U.S.A. and the European Union by 2030 if current climate pledges are adhered to, scientists said on Tuesday.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the three regions produce over 50 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions combined, and their policies are crucial for shaping the new global climate deal set to be finalised at a UN conference in Paris in December.

The United States is expected to submit its plans for addressing climate change to the United Nations this week.

The EU has already submitted plans but most governments including China are set to miss the informal deadline of March 31.

If China, the U.S. and the EU managed to produce all their energy from renewable sources by 2050, 3 million jobs would be created and around $520 billion would be saved annually in fossil fuel imports, according to a study by the NewClimate Institute.

Niklas Hoehne, co-author of the study, said: “Governments formulating climate action plans should consider the significant benefits for their people that could be achieved by setting their ambition levels to maximum…Denmark wants to phase out fossil fuels entirely, Sweden is coming close, and Germany has a target of getting 80 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050.”

The study assessed potential job creation from developing new energy systems in wind, solar and hydro power.

Potential employment involving retrofitting of buildings to make them more energy-efficient was not included, meaning the total number of new jobs is likely to be higher, Hoehne said.

The EU, through its climate action plan, is expected to save $33 billion annually on fossil fuel imports by 2030, if it meets its target of reducing GHG emissions 40 per cent from 1990 levels, according to the study.

The United States plans to slash GHG emissions by between 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025.

China has outlined its aim to reach a peak level of CO2 emissions by around 2030, officials said in November.