Skilled workforce for climate policy

🌿 𝗦𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗚𝗔𝗣 Following the overwhelmingly positive response to my recent post on sustainability jobs, I am starting a small series on this topic. First instalment: which skills and roles are actually missing, where, and what the next decade looks like. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗴𝗮𝗽? The gap between the green skills employers need to deliver the climate transition and what the workforce holds. LinkedIn 2025 data shows green job postings growing at 7.7% per year against only 4.3% growth in green-skilled workers. WEF ranks skills gaps as the top barrier to business transformation. C40 projects that across 21 major cities, up to 51% of green job demand by 2040 cannot be met with the existing workforce. Two things worth knowing. First, 53% of green hires in 2025 went to people in non-green job titles (finance, operations, legal, procurement). Sustainability is no longer a separate career track. Second, the gap is not uniform: some shortages are immediate, others are five to ten years out. 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗽 (𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) Ranked by shortage size across the reports:  • Building retrofit trades: heating engineers, insulation specialists, glazers, retrofit coordinators. UK alone: 10,000 to 66,000 new tradespeople per year.  • Solar PV installers, wind technicians, heat pump installers.  • Sustainability reporting specialists: CSRD, ISSB, TCFD, GHG Protocol, EU Taxonomy.  • EV charging infrastructure technicians and electric bus mechanics.  • Grid and power systems engineers: commissioning, instrumentation and control, piping and cable.  • Carbon accounting and LCA practitioners.  • Climate risk analysts: TCFD disclosure, scenario analysis, transition risk.  • Sustainable finance specialists: SFDR, EU Taxonomy alignment, green bonds.  • Sustainable procurement specialists: CSDDD, supply chain due diligence, scope 3.  • Clean construction electricians and smart energy systems technicians.  • Waste, recycling and composting operations workers.  • Data and AI specialists with sustainability domain knowledge. 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽 (𝟯 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆) Ranked by projected growth and forecast shortage:=  • Renewable energy engineers (WEF top 15 fastest-growing job to 2030).  • Environmental engineers (WEF top 15).  • Electric and autonomous vehicle specialists (WEF top 15).  • Green hydrogen specialists: production, transport, end-use.  • Carbon capture, utilisation and storage operators and engineers.  • Battery storage and grid integration engineers.  • Climate adaptation engineers: urban heat, flood defence, water management. Continued in comment section...

Energy transition has taken center stage in the Indian power sector, with a major focus on sustainability. To ensure sustainability, utilities are embracing new technologies, digital solutions, innovations, and more. Delivering and operating these solutions requires a significant amount of skilled manpower, which is currently lacking in the sector. I frequently meet industry experts, organizational heads, and CXOs of system integrators to discuss this issue. The common challenge I have identified is the availability of a skilled workforce capable of delivering such solutions. In my view, the government should appoint an agency as a nodal body to run skill development programs in the sector at the Diploma and ITI levels. Drawing inspiration from the UK's apprenticeship program, where Utilita Energy and Cheshire College South and West have launched a new-style smart metering apprenticeship, we can develop a similar initiative in India. In the UK program, apprentices receive classroom-based learning at the 11,000-student college and gain hands-on experience within the on-site ‘Sustainable House.’ This facility allows students to work in a real-life setting without being in a real home. Sponsored by Utilita, the Sustainable House is equipped with the latest sustainable technologies, such as ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic solar panels. The academy can upskill thousands of engineers from any organization each year to address the green skills gap. In India, we have very limited training centers for power sector apprenticeships, and they are often inadequately equipped with new technologies or digital interventions. We need to move quickly in this area, and every discom should take ownership of developing one or two advanced training centers to nurture a future-ready workforce.

🌍 Why are so many companies struggling to make progress in their green transitions? One key reason I’ve long argued is the lack of human capital. Sustainability isn’t just about technology, policies, or financial commitments—it’s about people. Without a workforce equipped with the right skills, even the most ambitious climate goals risk becoming unattainable. The newly released Global Green Skills Report 2024 from LinkedIn paints a clear picture of the challenge ahead. Despite growing momentum in climate commitments, the supply of green talent is lagging far behind demand: 🌱 Demand for green skills grew 11.6% globally in 2023-2024, but supply only increased by 5.6%. 🚨 By 2050, half of all jobs in the green economy may lack qualified candidates unless we double the size of the green talent pool. 💼 Workers with green skills are already 54.6% more likely to get hired, showing the immense career opportunities in this space. The report also highlights demographic and industry trends: 👩🎓 Gen Z: A generation eager to tackle climate challenges, but only 1 in 20 have green skills today. 👩🔬 Women: Despite progress, the green gender gap persists, with women significantly underrepresented in green roles. 🏗️ Industries in focus: Utilities, construction, manufacturing, and tech are at the forefront of the transition, with soaring demand for skills like sustainable procurement, renewable energy management, and environmental policy. This data reinforces what many of us have felt for years: we cannot decarbonize the economy without upskilling and reskilling the global workforce. Closing the green skills gap is as much about delivering on climate promises as it is about creating pathways to new economic opportunities. 🟢 How do we move forward? It’s clear that governments, businesses, and educators need to come together to build the workforce of tomorrow. Initiatives like workforce training programs, green certifications, and cross-industry collaboration will be pivotal. Take a moment to explore the report—it’s packed with valuable insights for professionals across industries. What steps do you think can companies, governments, and individuals take to accelerate the green skills transition? #Sustainability #GreenEconomy #SkillsForTheFuture #Leadership

𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀. And the numbers for both are big. A new flagship report from WRI and partners estimates that a well managed climate transition could generate around 375 million net new jobs over the next decade in energy, construction, manufacturing, and agriculture, equivalent to about 10 percent of global employment. At the same time, the transition will churn roughly 630 million jobs as roles are created, destroyed, or fundamentally reshaped, affecting close to one in five workers worldwide. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀? The report contrasts climate action with other megatrends. Technological disruption and geoeconomic fragmentation are likely to have net negative employment effects in the near term. By contrast, decarbonisation has a clearly positive net jobs effect if leaders invest in people. Climate action is one of the few levers that can put more jobs back into the system than it takes out. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵? The binding constraint is not capital or hardware. It is skills. Labour shortages are already holding back the energy transition in key markets. A simulation for the report shows that just a 14 percent shortfall in renewable energy workers (around 6 million workers by 2030), will lead to a delay in renewable capacity adding around 0.7°C of warming by 2100 compared with today’s national policies. That is an enormous climate penalty for a relatively small workforce gap. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿. Used well, AI can accelerate skills formation instead of simply automating work out of the system. The report calls for workforce intelligence systems that use real time data and AI to anticipate where jobs will be created, which occupations are at risk, and which skills are emerging. It highlights the need for agile, modular training systems, smart accreditation, and job matching platforms that recognise informal learning and connect workers into new green roles quickly. 𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 Most governments and firms still treat AI policy and climate policy as separate conversations. But both transitions are happening simultaneously and are deeply connected. If AI is deployed as skills infrastructure for the green transition, we could get faster decarbonisation, better jobs, and lower climate risk. The priority now is to hardwire jobs and skills into national transition plans and corporate strategies. Source: https://lnkd.in/eAMvhg8G #climatejobs #greeneconomy #skills #AI #energytransition #labourmarkets #humancapital ___________ 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘐𝘯: Scott Kelly

Last year, we published our thesis on how green skills were growing. In our OnePointFive (opf.degree) playbook “Forget the Sustainability Unicorn, How to Upskill a Climate Workforce”, we argued that the next big shift in climate work would be this: 👉 Sustainability would embed across the entire org - not just sit with the Sustainability team. A year (and a fair bit of turmoil 😢) later — climate jobs have slowed, sustainability roles have been cut, and “green” has found itself with a target on its back. So I was curious. What does the actual jobs data say? 🔍 LinkedIn’s 2025 Green Skills Report just dropped (led by Efrem Bycer and team!), and the data is fascinating. I combed through it so you don’t have to: 🟢 Green is getting embedded For the first time, the majority of green hires are happening outside of traditional green roles. Think: - Tech workers managing sustainable AI/data centers - Finance roles focusing on sustainable capital deployment - Supply chain teams upskilling in emissions tracking 🟢 The demand-supply gap is growing Jobs requiring green skills are growing twice as fast as the growth in green talent - four years in a row now. 🟢 Energy management is spiking Especially in AI-heavy industries. The tech sector led the growth in green skill intensity from 2021 to 2025. 🟢 Europe leads - regulation matters Increased green skill growth in Europe is likely due to regulatory pressure. When rules change, skills follow. 🟢 Green talent gets hired more Despite a global hiring slowdown, green-skilled workers are hired 46.6% more often than the average. So, what‘s next? The green transition is not just a climate imperative — it’s a people imperative. If we want a just transition, we need: ✅ Better job data, from countries, and orgs to drive policy ✅ Cross-sector investment in people, in the twin transition of Green and AI skills ✅ Smarter, faster upskilling (especially in high-demand sectors like tech and infrastructure) With COP30 ongoing and the Jobs & Skills Day in Belém just happening last week, now’s the time to double down on talent, not pull back. I’m curious - are you seeing green skills embedding into unexpected parts of your org? Would love to hear what this shift feels like in your organization. 🔗 Check the link for the full report (and our playbook) in the comments

𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗘𝗦𝗚 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗽: 𝗔 𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲-𝗨𝗽 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 The Malaysia ESG Skills Readiness Report 2026, developed by the Research Institute for Sustainable Excellence and Leadership (RISEL), is one of the most important local studies we now have on the country’s ESG talent landscape. Based on a six-month survey involving 347 industry leaders, the report provides an evidence-based and much-needed reflection on whether our graduate talent pipeline is truly ready for the demands of Malaysia’s sustainability transition. 👨💼👷♂️ What makes this document especially useful for the sustainability fraternity is its honesty. It doesn’t just show the gaps it explains why they exist and what these gaps mean for organisations navigating mandatory climate disclosures, global supply-chain expectations, and net-zero commitments. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: ▪️ The ESG skills gap is real and significant - averaging 15 points across 30 competencies, with governance showing the largest deficits. ▪️Carbon accounting, LCA, human rights, ethical decision-making, and ESG reporting are among the weakest areas - competencies that Malaysia urgently needs as regulations tighten. ▪️University-level barriers account for 43% of the challenge, but students and industry each contribute almost equally. This is a whole-ecosystem issue, not an academic one. ▪️Governance is the most concerning gap, especially with ISSB-aligned reporting becoming mandatory. Without governance capability, environmental and social action lacks credibility. ▪️This is ultimately a competitiveness issue, Malaysia risks losing ground in global supply chains if we cannot produce ESG-capable talent at scale. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁? Universities, policymakers, business leaders, ESG practitioners, talent developers, students, and industry associations. The findings allow each stakeholder to pinpoint exactly where gaps lie and how they can contribute to a stronger ESG workforce. This clarity is invaluable for those designing training programmes, updating curricula, or preparing organisations for the rising tide of sustainability regulations. At its core, this report reminds us that Malaysia’s transition is not only about technologies or blueprints it is about people. Human capital will determine whether Malaysia leads or lags in the green economy. #planetaryhealth #planetaryboundaries #sustainability #ClimateAction #carbonfootprint #NetZero #ClimateEmergency #SDG #ESG #GHG #netzero #skills #talentdevelopment #MalaysiaESG #sustainableleadership

GREEN COLLAR IS THE NEW TALENT WAR The Inflation Reduction Act didn’t just unlock capital. It reshaped the labor market. Billions are flowing into solar, wind, battery, EV, and electrification projects across North America. But the real bottleneck isn’t funding. It’s electricians. HVAC technicians. High-voltage specialists. The GreenCollar Index makes one thing clear: The project pipeline is accelerating faster than the skilled labor pipeline. Heat maps show massive IRA investments concentrated in the Southeast and Midwest. But the skilled trade density in many of these “Energy Communities” is thin. This is not a technology problem. It’s a workforce mobility problem. Energy Communities — former coal and fossil-fuel regions — now receive higher IRA tax incentives. Developers are moving fast into these zip codes. The opportunity? Reskill. Redirect. Reposition. Oil & Gas industrial workers already possess mechanical, electrical, and safety discipline. With targeted certification — GWO safety, high-voltage solar training, electrification credentials — they become renewable-ready talent. This is where modern staffing must evolve. AI + Workforce Intelligence can: • Predict regional labor shortages before project groundbreakings • Map transferable skill adjacency between fossil fuel and renewables • Identify “last-mile” certification gaps • Model supply-demand imbalance by trade and geography • Reduce time-to-deployment for megaproject hiring The next energy transition will not be won by capital alone. It will be won by talent orchestration. For staffing leaders and AI-driven workforce companies, the mission is clear: Move skilled labor to where incentives and infrastructure collide. Upskill legacy energy talent. Build predictive hiring ecosystems. Because in 2026 and beyond, the true competitive advantage in renewables isn’t panels or turbines. It’s people.

Bridging the Green Skills Gap in the Global Energy Transition... The world’s shift to clean energy has created an urgent need for green skills. Demand for roles like wind turbine technicians, solar installers, and energy analysts is soaring, yet only one in eight people currently possess climate-relevant skills (LinkedIn Green Skills Report 23). A study of 18,400 universities reveals that 68% of energy degrees still focus on fossil fuel, with a full shift to renewable-focused programs projected. Wherever I speak on global and national platforms, I emphasize embedding green skills from schooling onward. Education and skills development must go hand-in-hand, especially within India’s ITIs, polytechnics, and vocational institutes. Setting up Green Skills Hubs and specialized Renewable Energy and Decarbonization Universities, alongside institutions focusing on AI and Emerging Technologies, will be critical to preparing youth for emerging opportunities in clean energy and driving our green economy vision forward. key Actions to bridge green skills gap: 1. Increase Investment: Prioritize funding for green energy programs in universities and vocational institutes. Public and private funding that currently goes to fossil fuel education should be redirected to renewable energy education. 2. Create new degree programs Universities, especially in developing countries, should create new green energy faculties and degree programs. 3. Accelerate accreditation Ministries of education should work with universities to fast-track the accreditation of educational degrees in renewable energy. 4.Integrate sustainability courses Environment and sustainability-related courses should be integrated into vocational training curricula. 5.Support international initiatives International education initiatives, such as the World Economic Forum's Reskilling Revolution, can help drive the quality production of human capital for clean energy industries. Now is the time for global collaboration to build the skills essential for a sustainable future & a thriving green economy. #GreenSkills #EnergyTransition #RenewableEnergy #VocationalEducation #ITI #ClimateAction #CleanEnergy #EducationReform #GlobalSkills #WorkforceDevelopment World Hydrogen Leaders World Economic Forum International Baccalaureate Solar Energy International (SEI) International Solar Alliance International Energy Agency (IEA) S&P Global ASU+GSV Summit GSV Ventures Deborah Quazzo United Nations UNICEF Unnati Singh #universities Indian School of Business Indian Institute of Technology, Madras Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay Illinois Institute of Technology European University Institute EU Business School European Commission Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) USAID Gates Foundation India Adani Foundation Adani Group Relience Indo-Pacific Space and Earth Conference and Exhibition The University of Western Australia Victoria University IETA #greenhydrogen Gensol Group

India’s renewable energy dreams are at risk  And the reason isn’t technology - it’s the lack of skilled manpower.  We are facing an unexpected crisis in fulfilling the desired energy capacity.   The government aims to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, but there’s a massive shortage of 1.2 million skilled workers in the renewable energy sector.  The worst part?   This gap is projected to widen to 1.7 million by 2027.  This problem could shatter our dream of becoming a global leader in green manufacturing.   Right now, the world is looking to India to lead the fight against climate change.  At such a critical time, this crisis could mean missing our chance to stand at the forefront of the global green economy.  But is there no solution, Kuldip?   You must be wondering.  Well, there are solutions. Let me share a few:  1. Start Skill Training Programs   - Set up training centres focused on solar, wind, and other renewable energy skills.     - Collaborate with companies to provide training that meets industry demands.  2. Expand to Smaller Cities and Villages   - Open training centers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where there’s untapped talent.     - Offer financial support, like stipends or scholarships, to make programs accessible.  3. Partner with Companies   - Encourage renewable energy companies to provide internships and hands-on training.     - Leverage CSR funds for large-scale skill-building initiatives.  4. Leverage Online Platforms   - Provide affordable or free online courses focused on renewable energy skills.     - Ensure these courses offer certifications recognised by employers.   It’s not just about filling vacant positions but about hiring the right talent  So India can truly lead the global green manufacturing revolution.  What are your thoughts on addressing this talent shortage in the renewable energy sector? #renewableenergy #thoughts