STATE OF THE WORLD'S CITIES 2012/2013 Prosperity

RENEWABLE ENERGIES
The renewable energy sector – solar, wind, hydroelectric,
geothermal and bio-fuel – continues to attract huge
investments. In 2010, a total of USD 243 billion had been
committed to this sector worldwide28 ; this is projected to
rise to USD 630 billion by 2030, in the process creating
as many as 20 million jobs. 29 Although much of this has
concentrated on developed countries, investments in
renewable energies are beginning to materialise in the
developing world. 30
Around the world, about 300,000 workers are employed
in the wind power sector alone, and another 100,000
in solar photovoltaic, while some 1.2 million jobs have
already been created in the biomass sector in Brazil, China,
Germany and the USA. 31 In the UK for example, 250,000
people are already employed in the various renewable
energy sectors estimated to
be worth USD 53 billion
annually. 32
While developed countries
have the lion’s share of
jobs in the sustainable
sector around the world,
huge opportunities exist
for developing countries.
India is looking to create
no fewer than 100 million
jobs in this sector within
10 years, most of which
are expected to be in the
solar energy sector. 33 South
Africa reckons that 98,000
new ‘low carbon’ jobs are
possible in the short term,
and close to 717,000 in the
medium to long-term34 , to
be split into recycling, solar
energy and retrofitting of
old buildings for energy
efficiency.
POLICy Investment
in renewable
energies could generate
more employment
and income for urban
households.
83
Environmental Sustainability and the Prosperity of Cities
POLICy
Environmental sustainability offers huge
employment potential in terms of: substitution
of renewable alternatives for non-renewable resources,
recycling and reusing materials26 , production and installation
of renewable energy systems, sustainable urban transport,
waste recycling, retrofitting old buildings, new sustainable
buildings and infrastructures, and environmental services. 27
WASTE AND RECyCLING
In Bangladesh, 800,000 of the 3.5 million potential
jobs associated with environmental sustainability are in
recycling. 36 Besides new jobs, waste management and
recycling have also spawned technical innovations, leading
to the creation of many specialised small- and medium-sized
businesses in cities of developing countries. 37
India: the wind turbine area of southern Tamil Nadu runs for mile after mile across the plains south
of the Southern Ghats mountains, producing electricity for part of the massive demand for power
throughout India.
© 2012 Peter Herbert/fotoLIBRA.com