Green Skills and the Future of the Labor Market
Educational Strategies for a Sustainable Economic Transition
Keywords:
Green Economy; Sustainability; Workforce Development; Climate Action (SDG 13); Curriculum InnovationAbstract
As the global economy shifts toward carbon neutrality, the demand for "green skills" has outpaced current educational output. This article analyzes the gap between technical vocational training and the requirements of the emerging green economy. Through a comparative study of transition economies, the research explores how educational institutions can integrate sustainability into core curricula. The findings indicate that "soft skills"—such as systems thinking and environmental literacy—are as critical as technical expertise for long-term career resilience. This study provides a roadmap for policy-makers to align educational development with national environmental targets, furthering the mission of the Journal of Education, Society & Development.
References
Becker, G. S. (1993). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis. University of Chicago Press.
BMWK (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action). (2020). Energy transition progress report. Berlin, Germany.
Danish Energy Agency. (2023). Energy statistics 2023. Government of Denmark.
IEA. (2022). World energy employment report. International Energy Agency.
ILO. (2022). Global framework on green jobs and skills. International Labour Organization.
IPCC. (2023). Sixth assessment report: Mitigation of climate change. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Mincer, J. (1974). Schooling, experience, and earnings. Columbia University Press.
OECD. (2019). Skills for a green transition. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Stern, N. (2007). The economics of climate change: The Stern review. Cambridge University Press.
Tilbury, D. (2011). Education for sustainable development: An expert review. UNESCO.
UNESCO. (2021). Learn for our planet: Global education monitoring report. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
World Bank. (2022). Costa Rica development report: Sustainability and growth. World Bank Publications.
Wiek, A., Withycombe, L., & Redman, C. L. (2011). Key competencies in sustainability: A reference framework. Sustainability Science, 6(2), 203–218.
Jackson, T. (2009). Prosperity without growth. Earthscan.
UNEP. (2020). Green economy report. United Nations Environment Programme.
Bina, O. (2013). The green economy and sustainable development: An uneasy balance? Environment and Planning C, 31(6), 1023–1047.
