ZEWKlima – Future Opportunities in Energy Transition in Southern Europe

Project

The core of the project is a study being carried out in the Spanish province of Cádiz and the Greek capital Athens, where youth unemployment is unusually high and many skilled workers with relevant training cannot find employment. The study examines the employment potential created by energy transition activities in the two regions.

Many municipal buildings in Cádiz and Athens have an unfavourable energy balance and are urgently in need of renovation – however, there is often a lack of qualified personnel to carry out these economically-profitable refurbishments. Many municipalities could also benefit from the expansion of solar energy, although this field also suffers from a lack of skilled labour.

The project partners search for synergy effects between the job seekers and the municipal need for expertise in the field of climate action, recording the needs and the supply in the respective regions and making proposals based on the information collected. Municipalities and job seekers alike should benefit from targeted offers of further training. The study examines the feasibility of such projects.

Possible areas of application for young experts include energy audits in schools, which are often overheated in summer and undercooled in winter. The climate, the school children, the municipality and the energy auditors will all benefit from meaningful and sustainable renovations. The energy auditors can gain practical experience at the same time, making them better prepared for the future labour market.

Background

The reason for the study is high and persistent youth unemployment, especially in regions that are particularly affected by the climate crisis. A climate-friendly energy transition is urgently called for in such areas – and the prospects are particularly promising given the geographical and climatic conditions.