The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recommended that Asia-Pacific countries prepare their workforce for green jobs as the region transitions to a low-carbon economy.
In its paper titled “Preparing the Workforce for the Low-Carbon Economy: A Closer Look at Green Jobs and Green Skills,” the ADB said that countries in the region need to conduct labor market forecasts and analysis, as well as address gaps in the education system, to accelerate the development of the labor force for the green economy of the future.
As sustainable technologies are introduced as part of the shift to a low-carbon economy, new green jobs will emerge, and required skills to perform existing jobs will change, the ADB said.
“Thus, green workforce development is a central pillar of the transition to a low-carbon economy, and education systems need to be prepared to meet emerging green skill needs,” the ADB said.
Among the ADB’s recommendations are:
- Conducting country-specific green labor market forecasts and analyses to guide education and workforce planners on future job trends and necessary skills.
- Making sector-specific plans for education planning and workforce development, as the pace of green technology adoption will vary depending on the sector.
- Updating green qualifications in line with the different green skills that green jobs will require.
- Improving the capacity for the delivery of technical education for green jobs.
- Making teaching sustainability as a mindset in primary and secondary education to make it a foundational skill.
- Teaching sustainability in technical education so it can be applied in work processes of different jobs.
The ADB said that these recommendations will help Asia-Pacific countries to ensure that their workforce has the necessary skills to support the transition to a low-carbon economy.
