In December this year a new report by PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) has revealed that the number of jobs being created in the renewable energy industry is growing four times faster than the UK job market as a whole.
One of the most crucial findings of the second edition of the consultancy PwC’s annual green jobs barometer is that the number of green jobs advertised in the UK has almost trebled in the last year, equating to 336,000 positions. The data shows that 2.2% of all new UK jobs have been classified as “green”.
However, the Guardian reports that there are growing concerns about London’s dominance in the sector as more than one-third of these positions are based in London and the south-east, especially in professional and scientific roles.
According to the PwC report’s authors, Scotland, which dominates the onshore and offshore wind market, has the highest share of green jobs, at 3.3%, up from 1.7% last year.
In England, where the embargo on new onshore wind projects in England is nearing an end, London saw the second strongest increase in green jobs as a proportion of its job market. PwC said that, by volume of jobs, London and the south-east were “pulling away from the rest of the country”.
The report estimated that more than 7,500 green job adverts were for roles in the North-East in 2022, compared to over 110,000 located across London and the South-East.
In Wales, where progress is being made in the development of solar and tidal energy, the number of advertised green jobs rose by 150%, with strong demand for green jobs in manufacturing, construction, and professional services.
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Yorkshire and Humber, as well as Northern Ireland, have fallen in the ranking, as they each have a 1.9% share of green jobs although both have improved from 1.2% last year.
In every UK region, green jobs accounted for a bigger share of the employment market than in previous years, and the number of green jobs more than doubled in the year to June 2022.
Carl Sizer, PwC UK’s head of regions, said:
“While Wales and Scotland are among the top performers, it’s striking that one in five new green roles are based in the capital. If growth continues on this trajectory, the compounding effect means the green economy will increase London’s dominance over other cities and regions. If we want to meet our net zero ambitions while driving growth, then the green economy needs to be nationwide.”
Industry executives have expressed concern that while high prices and energy security worries have highlighted the case for renewable energy since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, developers still face significant barriers to getting projects off the ground.
The current government has been criticised for not switching to green energy fast enough and helping to create green jobs in the sector. The opposition party has vowed to create thousands of jobs in renewable energy as well as launching a publicly owned energy company if they are elected to govern the country.
Back in May, the government said that its newly formed Green Jobs Delivery Group would be aiming to support the delivery of “up to 480,000 skilled green jobs” by 2030. By then ministers hope that 95% of electricity will be low carbon and £100bn of private investment can be unlocked.
Energy and Climate Minister, Graham Stuart, said:
“Today’s report shows how public and private investment in new renewable energy and tackling climate change is creating growth and job opportunities across the country. These new green jobs are part of a growing industry that will be vital to the net zero economy of the future, but we need to make sure all parts of the country benefit as we continue to grow the opportunities.”
Ed Miliband, the current shadow climate change secretary, said:
“This report is further proof that Britain’s best days can lie ahead of us, if only we grasp the enormous opportunities for jobs and wealth that the green transition can bring. But in the way that green jobs are being created, it is also a warning that the government is not taking the action to ensure that all regions benefit. The truth is that we have a government that isn’t stepping up to shape and accelerate the green transition, so we create good jobs in every corner of Britain.”
