Renewables Are Scaling Fast -- But Jobs Aren't: New IRENA-ILO Report Warns Innovation Must Put People First | Science-Environment

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

70% : The report shows global renewable energy employment rose just 2.3 percent year-on-year, reaching 16.6 million jobs in 2024, even as clean energy deployment surged worldwide.
66% : "Renewable energy deployment is booming, but the human side of the story is just as important as the technological side," said Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA.
64% : Other major economies lagged far behind: The imbalance highlights a central challenge for the next phase of the energy transition: who captures the industrial and employment dividends of clean energy innovation.
59% : Inclusion is the next innovation frontier Beyond headline job numbers, the report issues a clear warning: the renewable energy workforce remains far from inclusive.
56% : China continues to dominate, accounting for 7.3 million renewable energy jobs -- 44 percent of the global total -- underpinned by its tightly integrated, large-scale manufacturing ecosystem capable of delivering equipment at unmatched speed and cost.
55% : The report shows global renewable energy employment rose just 2.3 percent year-on-year, reaching 16.6 million jobs in 2024, even as clean energy deployment surged worldwide. Renewable energy installations reached new record highs in 2024, but job creation is failing to keep pace, according to the newly released Renewable Energy and Jobs - Annual Review 2025 by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
54% : A global clean-energy boom -- concentrated in one region As in previous years, job creation remains highly uneven.
53% : For tech observers, this signals a pivotal shift: the clean-energy race is no longer just about capacity, but about who designs, owns, and operates next-generation systems.
51% : " The report argues that inclusive design, accessible training platforms, and equitable hiring practices are not just matters of justice, but essential to building resilient labour markets capable of supporting rapid clean-energy scale-up. Why this matters for tech leaders and early adopters For technology companies, investors, and innovators, the message is clear: the next competitive advantage in clean energy will come from integrating digital innovation with workforce strategy.

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