The fairy-tale mythology of “green energy” is easily demolished with some simple, back-of-the-envelope calculations. “Renewable” energy, green fantasies aside, simply is not, cannot be, a viable replacement for fossil fuels. Anyone who argues otherwise is either lying or deluded.
Firstly, there is the gross inefficiency of “renewables” – inefficiency that translates not just to skyrocketing energy prices but a shockingly gargantuan physical and environmental footprint. As Bjorn Lomborg has pointed out, just replacing a single 1 ha gas-fired power plant would require 73 ha of solar panels, 239 ha of onshore wind turbines or an unbelievable 6000 ha of biomass. Then there’s the incredibly toxic footprint of mining and manufacturing solar panels and batteries.
But at least they provide green jobs for the future? This is the basis for green-left’s latest idée fixe, “net zero by 2050”.
But it’s just another green lie.
The renewable energy sector does not provide a realistic alternative to jobs in the agricultural, mining, and manufacturing sectors which would be put at risk by a net zero emissions target, according to new research released today by the Institute of Public Affairs. There are currently 26,850 jobs in the renewable energy sector, compared with 346,900 jobs in agriculture, 277,900 jobs in mining, and 877,300 jobs in manufacturing. This means that for every job in the renewable energy sector there are 56 jobs in the agriculture (13 jobs), mining (10 jobs), and manufacturing (33 jobs) sectors combined.
As even Labor luminaries like Jennie George and Joel Fitzgibbon have been arguing – so far, in vain – the green left are rushing headlong to destroy the livelihoods of the workers they supposedly represent.
“Australians who lose their jobs in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing because of a net zero emissions target will not find jobs in the so-called new, green economy – because it doesn’t exist,” said Daniel Wild, Director of Research at the Institute of Public Affairs.
IPA research has identified that the renewable energy sector accounts for just 0.2% of all jobs across the Australian economy, compared with agriculture (3.1% of all jobs), mining (2.5% of all jobs), and manufacturing (7.9% of all jobs). Together, agriculture, mining, and manufacturing account for 13.5% of all jobs.
The new research also identified that the renewable energy sector accounted for only 1% of all net jobs created since 2010.
The stark reality is that the left elite don’t really give a tinker’s cuss about working-class people. In fact, they despise them.
“The political class looks down on Australians who work in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. They see them as inconvenient roadblocks on the inevitable path to progress, and would prefer them to just spend the rest of their lives on the dole.”
“Labor, Greens, half the Liberal Party, big business and their lobby groups, and the trade unions hold Australian workers in contempt.”
Institute of Public Affairs
“Net zero” would be disastrous for the working-class. As previous analysis by the IPA has shown, a net zero emissions target would put up to 653,600 jobs at risk, and that the majority of the jobs at risk would be in the agricultural, mining, and manufacturing sectors.
But, hey, who are you going to believe? A wicked “right-wing think-tank”, or those nice Greens?
Working Australians said quite clearly at the last election just what they think of the green agenda and its determination to destroy agriculture and mining in Australia.
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