Are you aware that between the oil sands industry and clean energy sector in Canada, there are more jobs than ever being offered in the clean energy sector? In fact, in the past five years, there has been a big increase of about 3% according to a report published by Think Tank Clean Energy Canada.
The report also stating that for the year 2013, there were 23,700 jobs created for the clean energy sector, where as the oil sands industry only totalled 22,340 jobs. Clean energy employment included jobs in clean power production, the manufacture of biofuels and green energy technologies, as well as improving energy efficiency.
Clean energy sector job availability on the increase
These new clean energy sector jobs were created as $25 billion worth of new investment was worked out in the last five years. Ontario, British Island, and Quebec were singled out as the top three provinces to lead the clean energy investment. While the federal government may have started the program and laid the groundwork, the follow up measures and continuing the project was not truly facilitated.
According to the Canadian Press, in 2013, a total of $6.5 billion was the total amount of Canadian investment in the clean energy sector. This is a 45% increase from 2012, based from the study that was released. Wind power comprised half of these investments, while the $2.5 went to solar energy. Because of this, Canada now ranks 20th in the list of ‘Group of 20 Industrialized Nations’, from being ranked 12th from the previous year.
In the past five years, clean energy has seen $24 billion worth of investment and 24,000 clean energy jobs were created. Although this number does not include construction employment, just that of clean energy employment as well as the manufacturing part of this sector. As Canadian officials begin meetings in Lima, Peru, this report creates a clearer picture on how Canada is currently handling climate change, an important topic in the United Nations framework convention.
Environment Canada find greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise
According to the Environment Canada projections, as the greenhouse gas emissions are rising again in Canada, it would still not be able to meet its international target for 2020 for controlling such emissions following the Copenhagen accord of 2009. The meeting of the United Nations in Peru will be more on negotiating for a post 2020 international agreement and which is hopefully going to be completed in December.
Canada clean energy sector is definitely transitioning towards this direction and it is even more captivating in the world news because there is minimal backing from the federal government. The investment boom is coming from the private sectors and foreign financiers.
The talks happening in the United Nations got its adrenaline boost as the United States and China, two of the biggest industrial countries in the world, are currently investing large amounts to renewable energy as well. Both countries, which are also two of the world’s biggest emitters, have announced that they will be doing a bilateral limit to their emissions until 2030.
Photo by: Victor To on Flickr
