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Installation of a photovoltaic module: Skilled workers urgently needed
Photo: Marijan Murat / dpa
Who installs solar panels? Who maintains wind turbines? In order to make the economy more climate-friendly, skilled workers are needed. And they are missing, according to a new study.
According to the study, around seven million skilled workers would be needed worldwide by 2030 to implement the necessary measures to achieve the international climate targets – but the experts are not in sight. This is the conclusion of a study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which is available to the »Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung«. The expected delays in the implementation of climate and energy projects could therefore result in a temperature increase of 0.1 degrees Celsius.
The goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees compared to the pre-industrial era could "move even further into the distance," says study author Janina Kugel of the newspaper. When it comes to climate protection, there is a lot of talk about infrastructure, financing, technology and innovation. On the other hand, the fact that skilled workers are also needed for implementation has not yet been given enough consideration."
»Recruiting abroad«
According to the calculations, 2030,400 jobs in the "green economy" could remain unfilled by 000 in Germany alone, according to the study. In addition to installers or technical personnel, there is also a threat of a bottleneck in research and development for solar and battery technologies.
"In any case, we also have to recruit abroad," Johann Harnoss, co-author of the study, told the newspaper. There is a need for global education and training cooperation, especially with countries in the Global South, where unemployment is high. The study assumes that 40 percent of the workforce would only need to be trained to a small extent.
hpi/AFP