*as Nigeria targets 340,000 jobs in renewable energy by 2030
Augustine Aminu
Worldwide employment in renewable energy reached 12.7 million in the last one year, a jump of 700,000 new jobs in one year, despite the lingering effects of COVID-19 and the growing energy crisis, according to a new report by the International Labour Organisation, ILO.
This is just as President Muhammadu Buhari has said he is committed to guide Nigeria’s rapid transition to renewable energy which will result in significant job creation with up to 340,000 jobs created by 2030 and up to 840,000 jobs created by 2060.
Presdient Buhari said the jobs will be driven mainly by power, cooking and transport sectors
The new report was published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), during the Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh, USA.
With rising concerns about climate change, COVID-19 recovery and supply chain disruption, national interest is growing in localizing supply chains and creating jobs at home.
The report shows that an increasing number of countries are creating jobs in renewables. Almost two-thirds of all these jobs are in Asia. China alone accounts for 42 per cent of the global total, followed by the EU and Brazil with ten per cent each, and the USA and India with seven per cent each.
The report highlights that the expansion of renewable energy needs to be supported with holistic policy packages, including training for workers to ensure jobs are decent, high quality, well paid and diverse in pursuit of a just transition.
Meanwhile, Femi Adesina, media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, said in a statement on Thurday that Buhari was speaking at a Leaders’ Closed-Door Meeting on Climate Change convened by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres.
The meeting, according to Adesina, is coming before the commencement of the COP27 in November this year, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, United States.
At the meeting, the Nigerian leader stressed that his administration had, in August this year, launched a home-grown, data-backed, multi-pronged energy transition plan.
He highlighted some of the details in the plan, saying it’s the country’s framework in achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
The president said that through the use of emerging technologies and alternative fuels such as hydrogen, bioenergy and waste-to-energy, a pathway would be created for accelerated decarburization of energy systems and harnessing of new and diverse technologies.
According to him, this is aimed at ensuring low carbon development while aligning to our broader developmental aspirations in a fair and just manner.
Speaking further, the Nigerian leader said: ”The plan also sets out a timeline and framework for the attainment of emissions reduction across five key sectors: power, cooking, oil and gas, transport and industry.”
The president affirmed that gas would play a critical role as a transition fuel in Nigeria’s net-zero pathway, particularly in the power and cooking sectors.
”The clean energy goals of the plan include modernizing the power sector with large-scale integration of renewable energy, enhancing energy efficiency and conservation.
”This is expected to generate 250 gigawatts of installed energy capacity with over 90% made up of renewables.”
While expressing his confidence that the plan would put the nation on the path of prosperity, Buhari said that a careful implementation would create significant investment opportunities.
He said it would also engender the establishment and expansion of industries related to solar energy, hydrogen and electric vehicles.
“It will guide Nigeria’s rapid transition to renewable energy and result in significant job creation with up to 340,000 jobs created by 2030 and up to 840,000 jobs created by 2060 driven mainly by power, cooking and transport sectors,” he added.
He commended Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his tireless efforts in the preparations for the COP27 and assured him of the support of the Nigerian Government.
