Renewable energy's 26,000 new jobs

"Renewable energy's 26,000 new jobs(By Lenore Taylor via The Australian)RENEWABLE energy projects under construction or planned in response to the
proposed emissions trading scheme will create 26,000 jobs, according to new
research published as the federal Coalition seeks to defer the scheme on
the basis that it could be a ""jobs killer"".Research commissioned by The Climate Institute shows $31 billion worth of
clean energy projects already in the pipeline, many in regional areas, will
generate 2500 permanent jobs, 15,000 construction jobs and 8600 associated
positions. The research does not include jobs in domestic solar or
insulation, or new projects funded through the $1.6 billion solar flagships
program announced in the budget, and is based on surveying investors rather
than making projections from modelling.It comes after modelling commissioned by the Minerals Council of
Australiafound that even the most modest emissions-reduction target planned
by the Rudd Government would leave the mining sector with 24,000 fewer jobs
over the next decade than it could have expected without a price on carbon.The competing jobs predictions come as the federal Coalition prepares to
push for a delay in parliamentary consideration of the emissions trading
scheme until after the UN conference in Copenhagen in December, on the
basis of its potential impact on employment.But, as reported in The Weekend Australian, it is likely that one option to
be put to shadow cabinet and the Coalition partyroom this week will be to
offer to negotiate a bipartisan position with the Government on the
emission reduction targets the Government should consider as part of any
new international agreement, while delaying the emissions trading
legislation. The Greens and senators Nick Xenophon and Steve Fielding have
not dismissed the possibility of a delay.The Coalition has said it could support emissions-reduction targets at
least as strong as the 5 to 25 per cent of 2000 levels advocated by the
Government by regulating on energy efficiencymeasures and storing carbon in
vegetation and soils, alongside an emissions trading scheme.Opposition emissions trading spokesman Andrew Robb told the Victorian
Liberal Party state council yesterday that the Government's scheme was ""in
no shape to be passed and the vote must be deferred until after
Copenhagen"", when Australia could assess the promises made by trading
competitors.The Business Council of Australia and other business groups have backed the
Government's argument that the legislation needs to be passed now in the
interests of investment certainty.Treasury modelling for the Government found the emissions trading scheme
would have only a small net effect on total employment in the long term,
but heavy industry has warned of the upheaval that could be caused as the
economy adjusts to the new cost on carbon.The research released by The Climate Institute, commissioned from energy
sector consultants McLennan Magasanik Associates (MMA), found the states to
benefit most from clean energy project proposals were NSW (4921 jobs) South
Australia (4586) and Victoria (4346).The planned projects - including geothermal, wind, solar, biomassand wave
power- would predominantly benefit regional areas. By far the biggest
investments are planned for wind power projects, followed by geothermal.""This research shows that if climate change and renewable energy
legislation passes through parliament without being weakened, it will help
drive the industrial shift that can put Australia at the front of a global
energy boom which already employs more people worldwide than those directly
employed in oil and gas,"" Climate Institute chief executive John Connor
said.Mr Robb said the Government should delay its legislation until it had
assessed the short-term impacts on employment in different sectors of the
economy.""If passed in its current form, the biggest structural change in our
history would be more a p"