The great divide in green jobs

Tackling climate change and environmental degradation is one of the most formidable tasks the world faces. Yet, a lack of workers with relevant skills could hold back the green transition. The shift to a sustainable and net-zero economy will transform local labour markets, as workers move into different occupations and sectors. The green transition compounds megatrends such as digitalisation and demographic change that have also been reshaping the geography of jobs.

Greening labour markets will have different effects on people, places, and firms, creating new types of jobs but also displacing some existing jobs, especially in highly polluting activities such as coal and gas extraction. The green transition will lead to a shift in the skills required for many other jobs in the economy -

Defining green jobs

Green jobs can be defined in different ways. To zoom in on the geographic and social effects of the green transition and link it to employment policy, this report classifies green jobs based on the tasks they entail.

It identifies jobs as green if at least 10% of their tasks are green, that is they support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions directly or improve environmental sustainability.

The analysis draws on the taxonomy of the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) of the U.S. Department of Labor that categorises the tasks of occupations into green or nongreen, and matches it with regional data on employment by occupation.

from construction to fashion to scientific research. As the geography of these transitions will differ, a place-based lens will be vital, with local economic development, skills development and business support programmes complementing national green transition policies.

So far, systematic evidence on the opportunities and risks for local labour markets in the green transition has been missing. This report fills that gap, shedding light on the geography of green jobs and possible impact on socio-economic inequality. It provides novel estimates of regional differences in the share of and the demand for green jobs across 30 OECD countries by looking at the tasks workers perform.

Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access (…) for photovoltaic (PV) arrays

Install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards (…)

Activate photovoltaic (PV) systems to verify system functionality and conformity to performance expectations

Monitor construction activities to ensure that environmental regulations are not violated

Inspect and monitor construction sites to ensure adherence to safety standards, building codes, or specifications

Measure dimensions and verify (…) elevation of structures or fixtures to ensure compliance to building plans and codes

Cut, surface, polish, and install marble and granite or install pre-cast terrazzo, granite or marble units.

Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs

Level concrete and allow to dry