Germany: Growth in renewable energies sector to shorten recession

25 February 2009

Berlin: The German government said Tuesday that strong growth in the country's renewable energy sector, coupled with increased state spending on environment protection could help shorten recession.

Deputy environment minister Astrid Klug said the country's renewable energies sector now provided 250,000 jobs and environmental protection, overall, generated a total of 1.8 million.

The minister also projected that the number of jobs in renewable energies sector would triple to 750,000 by 2020 and peak at 900,000 by 2030.

"Investments in climate protection can help us get out of this crisis faster," Klug said at a news conference where she presented a government report on job prospects in the climate protection sector. "The renewable energies sector is in the midst of a highly dynamic development. We want to maintain our world leadership in technology. Climate protection is a real job motor for Germany," she said.

The government is currently battling the country's worst post-war recession.

According to the report, the government would spend 5.5 billion euros ($7.05 billion) on environmental protection this year.