Green Jobs for the Future

Workshop: Green Jobs for the future – Skills development, green jobs and technologies to accelerate circularity in high impact sectors

Date: 14-15 September 2023

Location: Hybrid/Bangkok, Thailand

Presentations from the Green Jobs for the Future Workshop

Summary Report of the Green Jobs Workshop

About the workshop:

Current global consumption and production of materials is one of the root causes to the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. The triple planetary crises has major impacts on work, where 40 % of all jobs depend on ecosystem services and climate change induced heat stress threatens productivity losses equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs. A systemic transition to a circular economy, where materials remain in use at their highest possible value for as long as possible, can address the triple planetary crises while providing opportunities for green jobs.

The development and adoption of circular models across value chains will change the world of work, impacting employment and needed skills. It is estimated that the circular economy will create a shift in almost 80 million jobs providing an opportunity to Asia and the Pacific, which is home to more than 600 million youth.

To increase awareness of the required skills for circularity and seek for solutions to overcome the skills gap, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) through GO4SDGS, in partnership with organisations such as Yunus Thailand, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the support of the OAK Foundation, UNYLDP and Institute of Carbon Neutrality, organised a joint workshop on green skills for the circular economy. The workshop also contributed to the Green Jobs for Youth Pact by UNEP, ILO and UNICEF, which aims to strengthen youth employment opportunities in green jobs.

This two-day workshop focused on ongoing developments to increase sustainable consumption and production patterns and how these provide opportunities for youth skills development for the circular economy.

Day 1 provided insight on the current circular economy trends and the opportunities and skill requirements for green jobs, drawing tangible examples from high-impact sectors, such as plastics.  

Day 2 focused on what educational institutions are doing to promote green skills among their students and introduce existing actions to increase students acquiring green skills. Day 2 also allowed for peer-learning, encouraging students to plan their studies and careers in a way that supports them in the green transition.

The workshop sought to address the following questions:

• How do the current trends to a circular economy across value chains in high impact sectors impact youth employment and skills development?
• What are the essential skills needed for the circular transition?
• How can educational institutions design skills development to support the adequate skills for green jobs?
• How to ensure that current skills development meets future skill requirements?
• What best practices/successful practices exist regarding greening jobs through education?

The workshop was organised bilingually in Thai and English with simultaneous interpretation.

Event website: https://www.unep.org/events/workshop/green-jobs-future

For more information please contact:

Maria Hughes, maria.hughes[at]un.org

Young Ran Hur, hury[at]un.org