Problem

As electricity demand nearly doubled in the past two decades, Uruguay became increasingly dependent on oil-fueled power plants. The capacity of fossil-fueled electricity generation peaked in 2013 and 2014.

Responses

By 2019, Uruguay’s share of electricity generation from renewable sources (including hydropower, biomass, wind and solar) had risen to 98%. A 2016 Green Jobs Assessment by the Government of Uruguay and the ILO estimated that the renewable energy sector accounted for over 8,400 jobs, about 19% of the country’s total 44,108 green jobs, highlighting gaps and opportunities to promote the creation of new green jobs.

In 2016, Uruguay was selected as one of three pilot countries for the ILO’s Green Initiative, aiming to create new employment opportunities while ensuring social well-being and protecting natural resources. A tripartite steering committee, which included the Government, employers and workers, was established to define the project’s priorities, strategy and expected outcomes. It also led to research on the employment impacts of the national renewable energy strategy, and capacity-building to provide stakeholders with guidance on strategies and policies to promote the creation of green jobs. As of 2018, the renewable energy sector in Uruguay employed more than 11,000 workers, an increase of about 2,600 from 2013.

Find out more: World Resources Institute