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There’s a global gender gap in green jobs. Fighting climate change can’t happen without closing it

LinkedIn’s Sue Duke makes the case that meaningful progress on climate change can’t happen unless the entire workforce has the skills to get green jobs.

There’s a global gender gap in green jobs. Fighting climate change can’t happen without closing it
[Source photo: Bevan Goldswain/Getty Images]

Solving the climate crisis requires global action, and the world’s workforce is one of our most powerful mechanisms for change. It is going to take nothing less than the transformation of the global economy—meaning, all industries in all countries—if we are to get to net zero. Right now, far too few people have the skills and experience to take on the jobs that will drive this new economy.

Fortunately, however, this transformation is already underway. On LinkedIn, we see that green hiring is at an all-time high. Last year, global green hiring peaked at 24% above the overall hiring rate.

And we’re not just talking about hiring for traditional “green jobs.” We see the demand for green skills for all kinds of roles—from healthcare workers to data scientists to fleet managers—in sectors from retail to manufacturing to farming and ranching. Jobs that may not be traditionally seen as green jobs are now demanding skills such as sustainable procurement, green supply chain management, and the circular economy.

The bad news is that we don’t have enough people with the right green skills. This gap is even more worrying for women. Ninety percent of women in the global workforce lack a single green skill, and women make up only one-third of the green workforce. The gender gap has been getting worse.

Why does this matter? First, climate change often hits women hardest. Second, we need to ensure women have equal access to the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow. We are going to need all—not half—of the world’s talent and skills if we are going to meet this challenge.

A GLOBAL GREEN SKILLS GENDER GAP

Roles in every industry will need green skills, just like most roles now require digital skills. The first step to closing the gender gap is helping women gain the green skills that will make them viable job candidates for companies.

Our research reveals that only one in eight workers (both men and women) globally have the skills (e.g., carbon accounting, environmental planning, sustainable supply chain management) needed to power the green transition. While it’s one in six for men, it’s one in ten for women. That can have serious economic consequences. We know that workers with green skills are in greater demand than workers without them across all industries. This gender gap further stifles women’s economic opportunities.

The gender gap is more pronounced when looking at green jobs specifically. Eighty percent of workers transitioning into a green job have some prior green experience or possess green skills. Not having green skills makes accessing these in-demand green jobs, some of which are new and growing rapidly, more challenging for women.

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR CLOSING THE GAPS?

We can’t rely solely on business leaders to take action. Yes, they have a critical role to play, but the future of our planet depends on the collective effort of businesses, governments, NGOs, and individuals.

Governments and policymakers must commit to increasing women’s active participation and leadership in the green economy. This includes setting explicit gender targets in national climate policies on green training, reskilling, and upskilling. They must also track green jobs and skills as part of regularly tracked labor market insights to identify gender disparities.

Other steps to accelerate progress include investing in job retraining programs focusing on women-dominated jobs most vulnerable to climate change. At the educational level, incorporating green skills training and STEM education programs for women and girls will help them prepare to enter the workforce. LinkedIn’s insights show that STEM skills pave the path toward transitioning to a green job.

Businesses and job seekers can help foster a greener workforce. To widen the pool of candidates, companies should take skills-based approaches to hiring that account for all of the skills a job requires, and the array of titles and experiences through which workers can gain those skills. LinkedIn data suggests this approach to hiring can increase the number of women in the candidate pool. They can also implement green skills training programs in-house or leverage outside resources.

Students, workers, and job seekers don’t have to wait for companies to take those steps. They can identify and pursue opportunities to strengthen or develop their green skills, including:

  • INCO Academy’s free, online Green Digital Skills Certificate Program equips job seekers in digital and IT fields with the skills they’ll need to incorporate sustainability and green design into their work and boost their employment prospects.
  • Elemental Excelerator, a nonprofit investor focused on scaling climate technologies, offers its EDICT (Empowering Diverse Climate Talent) Internship Program that matches aspiring climate professionals, college students, and recent graduates from traditionally excluded backgrounds with businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies.
  • The Spanish chapter of Generation, a global nonprofit network that helps adults prepare for careers in multiple sectors, launched a hands-on solar panel installation training program. Participants receive technical training in mechanics, electricity, panel installation, and maintenance, soft skills training, and 100 practical hours with companies in the sector.
  • Project Drawdown’s Job Function Action Guides describe specific, high-impact climate actions professionals can take to make their current job a climate job. Each guide shares how your unique skills and knowledge are important to addressing climate change, as well as how to work cross-functionally for climate impact.

If we want real change, there needs to be a rapid scale-up in roles that require green skills. Closing the gender gap in green skills and employment is not merely an act of equity; it’s a critical lever for catalyzing the fight against climate change, demanding immediate and collective action from all sectors of society.

Women and the world can’t wait.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sue Duke is vice president of Global Public Policy & Economic Graph at LinkedIn. More

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