nuclear-news

For South Africa, more jobs in renewables than in coal

Renewable energy offers more jobs than coal | West Cape News, 24 Sept 10, Focussing on renewable energy initiatives would not only make South Africa more energy secure, it would create more jobs than alternative coal dependent scenarios and save hundreds of billions of rands over the long term.
Developing renewable energy would also reduce carbon emissions, as the use of coal – which the country currently relies on for 93 percent of its electricity generation – would be phased out.

Reducing our reliance on coal would also, besides having a “huge” impact on reducing emissions contributing to climate change, also reduce the “devastating” impacts coal mining, combustion and waste disposal has on many communities, says Greenpeace Africa climate campaigner Melita Steele.

Steele was speaking at the Reporting Science Conference 2010 held at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) this week.

Backed by scientists sharing the panel, such as Professor David Glasser at the Wits Centre of Material and Process Synthesis, Steele said South Africa, ranked as one of the 13 highest emitters of climate change inducing greenhouse gasses in the world, had a duty to reduce its carbon emissions.

And doing so would have multiple benefits.

The report: South African Energy Sector Jobs to 2030, prepared for Greenpeace Africa by the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, and authored by Jay Rutovitz, examined three different energy growth scenarios.

Renewable energy offers more jobs than coal | West Cape News

September 24, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, South Africa | climate change, global warming, renewables