(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM)) ABU DHABI, 9th January, 2020 (WAM) -- The International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, will launch tomorrow a new report on female representation in the wind energy sector at a high-level women's dinner co-hosted by the UAE Mission to the IRENA and the IRENA.
The report, which will be launched at the end of the first day of the 10th IRENA Assembly in Abu Dhabi, will highlight that while significant job opportunities for women exist across the wind energy value chain, the global wind energy industry is yet to reach meaningful gender equality.
It will be discussed at the "Women in Renewable Energy" evening event, and draws on the findings of a survey jointly conducted by the IRENA, the Global Wind Energy Council and the Global Women's Network for Energy Transition.
Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, said, "The renewable energy transition can boost economic development and create jobs. But to ensure that everyone benefits from socio-economic opportunities created by the energy transition, gender equality is key. Women provide valuable perspectives on key decisions, from investment priorities to project design."
He added, "The new survey on the employment of women in wind energy shows that women possess the skills, yet gender roles and cultural-social norms are often still the main barriers to gender equality."
Currently, women represent 32 percent of workers across all renewables, compared with 22 percent in traditional energy industries such as oil and gas, an analysis conducted by the IRENA in 2019 showed. The share of women in wind stands at 21 percent.
Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IRENA, said, "The UAE has placed gender equality at the heart of its long-term strategies, with the renewable energy industry a key component of achieving its goal to empowering women to affect positive change."
Close to four million jobs were added to the renewable energy sector between 2011 and 2019, according to IRENA estimates. As such, the industry offers diverse career opportunities, requiring different skillsets and talent.
The IRENA is the main intergovernmental agency for energy transformation. The 10th IRENA Assembly will take place at the outset of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week from 10th to 12th January, 2020, at St. Regis Saadiyat Hotel, Abu Dhabi.
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