Future Jobs: 6 Green Careers Set to Grow in the Next Decade.

From urban farming to sustainable design, young people could be set to enter a new world of work.

Why Global Citizens Should Care

The United Nations’ Global Goal 8 calls for decent work and sustainable economic growth, and the need for investment in green jobs for young people is likely to be big in achieving that goal in the next decade. The climate crisis threatens economic stability and prosperity and will push more people into extreme poverty, so it’s vital that the sustainability sector continues as part of the mission to curb global warming. To find out more about climate change and take action, join the movement here.

Since the world economy was brought to its knees by the COVID-19 pandemic, economists and world leaders have been busy trying to think of ways to mitigate the damage while simultaneously taking climate action.

For climate campaigners and members of the public alike the answer is obvious. Activists and citizens have been encouraging policy makers to see this as an opportunity to invest in sustainable industries that will provide work opportunities people need, and help save the planet.

It’s an idea that has had some success, with many governments at least talking about “building back greener” in some way.  From Chile’s pledge for at least 30% of its COVID-19 recovery investment to go towards sustainable development, to Nigeria’s plan to scrap subsidies for its oil industry.

The UK, too, has opted to earmark £134 million in investment for businesses to develop clean technologies and create green jobs. So it's a growing sector that is set to get more investment.

That the sustainability sector is growing is brilliant news for anyone who wants to see the world achieve its net zero carbon targets and keep global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

“Green jobs” — for example, roles that contribute to the transition to a low-carbon economy — have been on the increase for a while. In the US, for example, jobs in the clean energy sector reportedly grew every year during the five years to 2020. There were 10 times more jobs in the US green economy than in the fossil fuel industry by 2019, a University College London study found.

The International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) annual report, published in September 2020, said that the number of jobs in the renewables sector had reached 11.5 million globally.

23 February 2021

GLOBAL CITIZEN