In addition, says the report, 1.2 billion tons of carbon emissions could be displaced by both the large-scale adoption of renewable power and efficiency improvements. The efficiency measures would keep carbon emissions level until 2030; renewable energy adoption would result in net emissions reductions.
The report, Estimating the Jobs Impact of Tackling Climate Change, assumes that 43 percent of emissions savings come from renewable energy. Fifty-seven percent of the savings are provided by efficiency improvements.
Both "climate change and economic stagnation can be solved by … sustained deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency," said Brad Collins of ASES.
A separate study estimates that renewable energy adoption would create 1.9 million new jobs by 2020 and add $111 billion to gross domestic product.
ASES' report suggests that the largest employment gains would occur in construction, farming, trucking, professional services and metal fabrication. Renewable energy jobs would be created in solar energy, biomass and biofuels.
