Unlocking India’s Green Workforce: Skills, Jobs, and Net-Zero Goals

New Delhi [India], September 18: Economies worldwide are increasingly being impacted by climate change. As per the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in 2021, unless immediate, large-scale and rapid solutions are implemented to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, limiting global warming to 1.5°C (Celsius) will remain beyond reach.

While the number of nations pledging to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century keeps growing, so do GHG emissions. Therefore, the gap between pledges and actions must be closed for any chance of attaining net zero by 2050 while restricting global temperatures to within 1.5°C.[1] At COP26, India revealed enhanced NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) targets, aimed at reaching net zero by 2070.[2] However, it is believed that India could achieve net zero by 2060, if not earlier.

The Green Economy and Skilling Issues

In this context, the green economy paradigm is gaining popularity. This paradigm seeks to address the dual targets of mitigating the climate crisis while offering impetus for job creation and economic growth. With more than 135 countries committed to net-zero goals, policies, and investments in green growth have surged.

The green economy provides a chance to boost green skills intensity while augmenting economic opportunities during this shift. Green skills intensity denotes the degree to which different nations, industries and jobs embed green skills. The more the green skills intensity and the higher the green jobs, the smoother the shift towards the green economy.

Studies, however, show that a restricted pool of green talent and the lack of chances to develop green skills can hinder the green transition. To adapt to evolving standards across segments, both the existing and emerging workforce entering the employment market must be equipped with critical skill sets. Green jobs can be defined as those at the intersection of decent employment opportunities and environmental sustainability.

Given the rapidly rising green business segment, investments in skilling are imperative to propel India’s transition towards a green, sustainable economy. It is equally important to offer equal opportunities, especially for people whose livelihoods are presently linked to traditional industries that would encounter changes because of the shift to a green, climate-resilient economy. As India emerges as one of the global leaders in sustainability and green energy, it has immense potential to generate millions of green jobs by 2047.[3] Accordingly, consistent and equitable boosting of the skill ecosystem can ensure a just transition that doesn’t exclude vulnerable groups.

The importance of such an approach for India is significant due to its demographic dividend. By 2030, India’s working-age group is expected to comprise the highest-ever share 69% of the total demographic. The promised green growth opportunity can not only enhance human potential but also help India achieve its net-zero goals and contribute to the global demand for skilled talent to address the emerging climate crisis.

As the fourth-highest contributor to renewable energy globally, India has ambitious targets to procure 50% of its cumulative electricity needs from renewables by 2030. While renewable energy is growing rapidly overall, solar, wind, and bioenergy remain the primary drivers. Moreover, the focus on green hydrogen is expected to expand significantly in the coming years. In terms of job creation, solar power is projected to host 3.26 million jobs by 2050, with wind energy following by generating an estimated 0.18 million jobs by 2030. Bioenergy and green hydrogen are expected to create 0.27 million and 0.6 million jobs by 2030, respectively.

Considering the green transition across traditional sectors, over 138 domestic organisations have pledged net-zero emissions by 2050. Industries like automotive, construction, and textiles are leading the shift through electric vehicles (EVs), eco-friendly construction, and sustainable textiles. By 2030, the advent of EVs is estimated to generate 10 million and 50 million direct and indirect jobs, respectively. This offers an excellent opportunity to onboard new workers as well as upskill and integrate the current 35 million ICE (internal combustion engine) workforce. Similarly, around 11 million jobs in construction are projected to be impacted by 2030 because of the sustainability shift.

Creating a Skilling Ecosystem

Even as demand for green jobs continues to grow, the ecosystem to support relevant skill sets is still nascent. To fully leverage green growth opportunities, India must build a scalable, high-quality skill infrastructure while raising awareness of green career paths through sustained outreach and campaigns.

At present, the Skill Council for Green Jobs and the Green Skill Development Programme have collectively trained approximately one million candidates for green economy roles. Despite the efforts of 500+ government and private training institutes, there remains a pressing need to expand the pool of trained individuals to accelerate green growth.

For this, numerous systemic challenges must be addressed to fast-forward skill-building programmes. The barriers include funding gaps, inadequate policies for green skill development, lack of adequate skill infrastructure, exclusion of vulnerable sections and low or no collaboration among key players. A series of policy and reform measures is required to address these barriers.

Simultaneously, workers need the necessary skilling, reskilling and upskilling training to take up future-ready job roles in the above segments. This can be accomplished if public, private and non-governmental organisations join hands to meet such challenges. Thereby, India can reap its demographic dividend via the green economy by generating millions of new jobs, directly and indirectly, even as it marches towards its net-zero target much before 2070.