From Overseas Press

China's global dominance in green jobs growing

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-10-08 11:47

China is "prevailing in the global race for green jobs in sectors from solar panels to advanced lighting, and appears to be on an unstoppable upward path," said an annual report by cleantech research firm Clean Edge in a Reuters article on Oct 6.

The Chinese government spent $34.6 billion to "propel its low-carbon economy" in 2009, more than any other nations and "almost double what the US invested." China is now "headquarters for six of the biggest renewable energy employers—up from three in 2008", according to Clean Tech Job Trends 2009.

Rob Pernick, managing director of Clean Edge and a report author, "called the economic giant's meteoric surge very striking." But he said that it is "not a fait accompli that China will dominate across the entire industry," because there is "serious competition on the global playing field." "Even as the global economy continues to sputter, the report said clean energy is spawning millions of high-paying green jobs worldwide."

Recent data from global research group REN 21 found that total green jobs surpassed three million in 2009 with "China accounted for 700,000 of that amount, due in large part to measures that promote solar heating."

Therefore, Pernick called China's emerging dominance a "wake-up call" for US lawmakers. "Time is running out for us to take a more serious, concerted approach...at the national level," he said.