Shakespeare once said: “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” May the immortal bard forgive us for disagreeing. At the beginning of this challenging XXI century, in the subject of employment, we already have reliable information that allows us to know what we can be and to make the right choices.

Although we may not always think about this, jobs and companies are intrinsically connected to our planet’s health. Climate change has affected many sectors of industries irretrievably. UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts that the recent efforts to reverse climate change and reduce carbon dioxide emissions could lead to the disappearance of 6 million jobs worldwide in sectors related to oil and gas and other fossil fuels. However, not everything is bad news. The same organization believes the green economy will generate 24 million jobs worldwide by 2030.

Green is the new black

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), also known as the Global Objectives, are a universal alert for action against poverty, the protection of the planet, and ensuring that everyone has peace and can prosper. Global Objective 8 establishes the promotion of sustained economic growth, inclusive and sustainable, secure and productive jobs, and dignified employment for everyone. In order to reach this, there will be a massive contribution of green jobs.

The Bureau of Labour Statistics published, in 2010, the base definition of “green jobs” (that has been commonly adopted, in various reports on these matters): “jobs in business areas that produce goods or provide services which represent advantages for the environment or that contribute for the conservation of the natural resources; or jobs where one of the duties of the workforce goes through of making the process of production eco-friendly or for using fewer resources.”

The skills of the future

The United Nations Environmental Program has released the GEO-6 for Youth, a digital guide that, among other subjects, reflects upon the skills of those who intend on following a career in the green sector should develop. Technology will be, surely, at the lynchpin of everything. We’ve highlighted 6 areas that could perform a determinant role in the near future, more friendly to the planet.

1 - Agriculture

According to the report published in 2022 by the Organic Farming Research Institute (FiBL), organic food and drink sales have increased by 15% worldwide. As agriculture and the supply of foods become more sustainable, there will be a growing number of green numbers in areas such as organic agriculture, urban agriculture, and precision agriculture.

Urban or vertical agriculture uses a combination of innovative architecture and the most recent agricultural technology, including, many times, Artificial Intelligence (AI), to cultivate in cities. It’s eco-friendly because it uses less soil and water, reduces pesticide use, and saves on fuel by shortening the food supply chain.

Gardens on roofs are also excellent allies to isolate the buildings, absorbing heavy rains and improving the air quality. You are mistaken if you think you’re beholding a futuristic scenery: according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), urban agriculture is already being practiced by over 800 million people worldwide.

2 - Architecture and construction

The construction industry is still one of the primarily responsible ones for world pollution. According to the UN, the sector is responsible for 38% of global carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). However, the growing usage of natural materials and ecologically recommended and the adoption of new construction methods, standing on new legislation, can reduce CO2 emissions of the (new) green buildings by 84 gigatons by 2050.

Intelligent technology will help people use heat, light, and other resources more efficiently. Building greener houses and offices (and adapting the old ones to tend to the current and future obligations) will require hundreds of specialized functions. The International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts creating 6,5 million jobs in sustainable construction by 2030, becoming the second sector with faster growth, only being surpassed by the green energy sector.

3 - Renewable energies

The renewable energy sector - hydroelectrical, biofuels, wind turbines, and clean traveling (where electric vehicles are included), has been growing considerably, generating a huge volume of new jobs. Solar energy, for example, is responsible for 3,8 million jobs worldwide, according to IRENA.

4 - Corporate sustainability

Green future jobs will not be available in sustainable sectors only. Now, every company plays a new role, namely in the transformation of business models. It will require people with a certain skill set to support the necessary transition.

5 - Transportation

Around 14 million Europeans work in the auto industry. The increase in demand for electric cars represents, for the manufacturers, an important opportunity to perform the transition onto less harmful models to the environment.

6 - Science and engineering

Scientific skills are fundamental to help mitigate the effects of climate change, slow down global warming, and improve the quality of life of the people and the planet.

Upskilling and reskilling

According to the LinkedIn Global Green Skills Report 2022, the demand for green talents has increased by over 38% since 2015. However, for now, it still overcomes the supply. Terms such as upskilling, which defines the development of skills in the area of activity we are already working on, and reskilling, which comprehends the development of new skills in light of requalification, are the word of the day.

In the Report on the Future of Employment 2022, the World Economic Forum also concludes that gaps in the necessary skills will remain increased by 2050, as the skills in job requirements will suffer change. 

Critical thinking, problem-solving ability, self-management, and resilience are among the most demanded skills.

The companies quoted in the report believe that around 40% of the workforce will need requalification and 94% of the corporate leaders expect their employees to acquire new skills.