Employment impacts of CDM projects in China's power sector

• Published in: Energy policy Vol. 59; pp. 481 - 491
• Main Authors: Wang, Can, Zhang, Weishi, Cai, Wenjia, Xie, Xi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2013; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Assessments; China; China (People's Republic); Clean technology; Co-benefit; Construction; Economic conditions; Economic data; Economic impact; Electric energy; Electricity distribution; Employment; Employment creation; Energy; Energy economics; Energy policy; Exact sciences and technology; General, economic and professional studies; Indicators; Input–output model; Job loss; Labor policy; Mathematical models; Natural energy; New and renewable energy; Pollution control; Quantitative analysis; Studies; Sustainable development; China; Asia; Co-benefit; New and renewable energy; Input–output model; Socioeconomic impact; Renewable energy; Employment; Clean development mechanism; Input-output model; Sustainable development; Electric power industry; Input output model
• ISSN: 0301-4215; 1873-6777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.04.010

There are continuous debates around the question of whether CDM really contributes to sustainable development (SD) in host countries. Employment impact is an essential indicator of SD. Based on an input-out approach this research builds a quantitative assessment model to evaluate the employment impacts of CDM. Both direct and indirect jobs creation and job losses of CDM projects in the power sector registered by the end of 2011 are calculated by project types and power grids where the project is located. Results of this study show that, although the above mentioned CDM projects causes about 99,000 net direct job losses, they also create about 3.08 million indirect jobs, resulting in the gross employment of CDM to be about 2.98 million. Thereof, hydro projects induce both direct and indirect job losses, which comes to approximately 0.89 million. Solar projects have the most potential since they own the highest indirect jobs created by one GWh generation, about 104 jobs/GWh. •An input–output model was built for assessment of CDM projects' employment impact;•CDM projects create direct and indirect jobs while cause some losses in short.•Significant indirect job gains of CDM projects were found;•Solar projects cause 104 jobs/GWh in average, ranking as the highest contributor.