The technical paper on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition emphasises that an accelerated energy transition requires a growing supply of critical materials, with Chapter 7 of the IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2022 further elaborating on these materials. IRENA continues to publish technical papers on groups of critical materials: the first one focuses on lithium and this second paper focuses on rare earth elements.

This paper discusses the global lithium industry structure and major players while reflecting on current costs changes and their further implications, the role of the governments could play to de-risk lithium supply and the opportunities innovation can play in reducing demand growth.

This paper will assess how the growth of renewables will put critical materials at the centre of the energy transformation, with the objective of highlighting the criticalities related to the sector and of identifying how technological developments and innovation can positively reduce geopolitical risks.

Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review presents the status of renewable energy employment, both by technology and in selected countries, over the past year. In this third edition, IRENA estimates that renewable energy employed 8.1 million people around the world in 2015 (excluding large hydropower). This is a 5% increase from the number reported the previous year. In addition, IRENA conducted a second global estimate of large hydropower employment, showing approximately 1.3 million direct jobs in the sector.

In 2013, approximately 6.5 million people were employed in the renewable energy industry worldwide, according to this update on employment in the sector from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2014 underlines the important role that renewables play in employment creation and growth in the global economy.

IRENA's annual jobs review confirms long-term growth trend; strong policy action essential to ensure continued employment expansion in the COVID-19 era.

Based on a survey across the industry, this study tracks women’s employment, gender policies and perceptions of gender bias throughout the wind energy value chain.

Energy transition investments in the wake of COVID-19 can pave the way for equitable, inclusive and resilient economies.

With governments seeking win-win solutions to the dual challenge of high unemployment and climate change, policy makers in many countries are designing renewable energy policies that aim to create new jobs, build industries and benefit particular geo-graphic areas.

These local case studies were prepared by IRENA in cooperation with the organisations described. They intend to explore the employment dimension of renewable energy development and deployment in rural areas in the developing world. 

This report is among the first to delve into the topic of job creation in the context of rural access to energy. It presents twelve first-hand case studies which cover a range of activities, including support for the sale, installation and maintenance of small solar systems, small-scale production of improved cooking stoves, investment and training in small hydropower plants,advice to business start-ups and marketing and networking for producers.

能源转型的地缘政治：关键材料提供了对关键材料重要性的全面见解，研究了其相关的地缘政治影响，并为可持续和高效的全球能源转型提供了建议。

Geopolitics of the energy transition: Critical materials provides comprehensive insights into the significance of critical materials, examining their associated geopolitical implications and offering recommendations for a sustainable and efficient global energy transition.

Geopolítica de la transición energética: Materiales críticos proporciona información integral sobre la importancia de los materiales críticos, examinando sus implicaciones geopolíticas asociadas y ofreciendo recomendaciones para una transición energética global sostenible y eficiente.

Geopolitik der Energiewende: Kritische Rohstoffe bieten umfassende Einblicke in die Rolle kritischer Rohstoffe, untersucht die damit verbundenen geopolitischen Implikationen und gibt Empfehlungen für eine nachhaltige globale Energiewende.

Le rapport Géopolitique de la transformation énergétique : Matières premières critiques offre un aperçu complet de l'importance des matériaux critiques, examine leurs implications géopolitiques associées et propose des recommandations pour une transition énergétique mondiale durable et efficace.

This report is aimed at policy makers and hydropower practitioners to raise awareness among IRENA stakeholders regarding hydropower’s perceived challenges and needs, and to serve as a catalyst for debate in the context of IRENA’s Collaborative Framework on Hydropower.

This brief from the Collaborative Framework for Ocean Energy Technologies and Offshore Renewables provides options for scaling up investments in ocean energy, focusing on tidal stream and wave energy technologies.

This tenth edition of IRENA’s Renewable energy and jobs: Annual review, provides the latest data on renewable energy employment worldwide, as well as analysis of prevailing deployment trends and policy contexts.

The sixth edition of the series highlights employment trends in renewables worldwide, noting increasing diversification of the supply chain.      

This report examines the question of gender equity throughout sector. Building on a ground-breaking survey, it finds that much remains to be done to boost women’s participation and allow talents to be fully utilised.  

This Commission Report analyses the geopolitical implications of the accelerating global shift to renewables. It is the culmination of deliberations by the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation. 

Renewable energy jobs grew 5.3% in 2017, with the total surpassing 10 million worldwide. IRENA's annual review presents the status of employment by technology and in selected countries.

This Special Edition of the report on Labour and Policy Perspectives, in collaboration with the ILO, presents the status of employment in 2020 and discusses the policy framework required for a just transition.