Global Renewable Energy Jobs Growth Slows: IRENA–ILO Report

On 11th January 2026, the Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2025, released by the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Labour Organization, reported the first clear slowdown in renewable energy job growth even as global installations reached a new peak.

Key Points:

Slower Job Growth: Global renewable energy employment grew by only 2.3% from 2023 to reach 16.6 million jobs in 2024, reflecting geopolitical frictions, geoeconomic tensions, and increased automation across supply chains.
Uneven Regional Distribution: The European Union remained flat at 1.8 million jobs; Brazil recorded about 1.4 million. Employment in India and the United States rose marginally to around 1.3 million and 1.1 million respectively.
Geographical Imbalance: The report highlights widening disparities in job growth, underscoring the need to restore international cooperation and support lagging countries in the energy transition.
Sectoral Breakdown: Solar photovoltaics remained the largest employer with 7.3 million jobs in 2024, driven by installation and manufacturing growth.
Asia’s Dominance: Asia accounted for 75% of global solar PV employment, reflecting its central role in manufacturing and deployment.
Other Major Employers: Liquid biofuels ranked second with 2.6 million jobs, followed by hydropower (2.3 million) and wind energy (1.9 million).
Inclusion & Equity Gaps: Women and persons with disabilities remain under-represented in the renewables workforce, the report warned.
Policy Recommendations: Governments were urged to strengthen public involvement in domestic supply chains and adopt inclusive policies to ensure the socio-economic benefits of the energy transition are widely shared.