The renewable energy sector is being showcased as a magic bullet, where the loss of jobs in the coal sector would be offset by the opportunities for jobs in green energy. Over the years, thousands of jobs have come up in the renewable energy sector in India, but they are not at the scale and permanence needed to counterbalance the impact that the coal sector and its ecosystem face as India transitions away from it.
Sandeep Pai, who is senior research lead, CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) Energy Security and Climate Change Program, said, many studies have shown that there may be more net energy jobs if we take bold climate action to keep warming well below two degree Celsius.
“However, my research shows that in many cases, both in India and abroad, it may not be possible to create these renewable energy jobs locally for fossil fuel workers who would lose jobs. In short, the benefits of the clean energy transition may be for new people but not necessarily to people in the fossil fuel industry who would lose jobs,” Pai told Mongabay-India.
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