Policy Briefs
Employment Generation Capacity of Renewable Energy in MENA
No.
PB 131
Publisher
ERF
Date
August, 2024
Topic
Q4. Energy
In a nutshell:
- The adoption of green energy technologies necessitates the establishment of new supporting and downstream industries, leading to job creation across various sectors.
- Investments in green energy initiatives have stimulated research and development (R&D) activities that support process innovation and technological advancements.
- Green energy projects entail the production and installation of renewable energy equipment.
- Establishing robust local supply chains and manufacturing capabilities can significantly contribute to job creation.
- Renewable energy production expands the potential of moving downstream and off-stream to the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs), a prospect that is already being rooted in several countries in the region.
- Promoting energy efficiency measures and retrofitting existing infrastructure for improved energy performance can also generate employment opportunities.
- The transition to green energy necessitates a skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of the evolving energy landscape.
- Embracing renewable energy technologies presents an opportunity for the region to diversify its economy, mitigate the possible negative impacts of digitalization and artificial intelligence on existing jobs, reduce its carbon footprint, and create employment across various sectors.
- The transition to renewable energy can be conceived as a social project to capitalize on the net socioeconomic and environmental benefits of an equitable transition plan to renewable and green energy.
- Renewable energy jobs are often unevenly distributed, whether geographically or among the different segments and classes of society.
- Breaking away from traditional sectors, especially in green energy, presents opportunities for job creation and economic growth.
Research Fellows
Atif Kubursi
Professor, McMaster University
Research Fellows
Hala Abou-Ali
Professor of Economics and Chair of the...