When it comes to jobs, climate change promises a mixed bag with many losses and many gains but concrete action on addressing a warming world presents a singular opportunity for more of the substantial job creation already underway.
HOW WILL CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT THE JOB MARKET NEGATIVELY?
As the world transitions from coal, oil and gas to clean energy, jobs will clearly be lost in the fossil fuel industries. Extreme heat, a significant consequence of global warming, is hazardous to human health, so it should not come as a surprise that agriculture, in which 940 million people work, is expected to be a sector deeply affected by a warmer world. Construction, refuse collection, repair, transportation, tourism, and sports also among the other fields projected to suffer the fallout of hotter temperatures.
ARE THERE JOBS THAT WILL THRIVE?
In crisis comes opportunity, and the renewable energy sector offers a surfeit of just that. In the United States, solar jobs have seen tremendous growth. The National Solar Job Census 2022, the latest report to date, shows that as of December 2022, there were 263,883 solar workers in the U.S. This represents an increase of 8,846 jobs, or 3.5% growth since 2021. Decarbonizing the energy sector, electrifying transportation and infrastructure including homes and offices, reforestation, carbon capture and storage technologies will eliminate some jobs while creating many more. Already in 2019, Forbes was reporting that “building new renewable energy is cheaper than running existing coal plants and prices get cheaper every year.” Meanwhile, the clean energy goals mandated by both states and utilities are driving demand for workers to build renewable energy infrastructure.
ARE YOUNG PEOPLE TRAINING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE JOBS?
In the fall of 2021, according to the NYT, some of the hottest MBA courses were about climate finance, impact investing and social entrepreneurship. This interest reflects an increase in jobs that require knowledge in environmental, social and governance, or E.S.G., topics.
DOES AN INTERNSHIP HELP?
Getting an internship is an effective way to start. Great coaching on Intelligent.com.
ARE THESE CHANGES ACTUALLY HAPPENING?
- By January 2023, Bloomberg was predicting that 24 million green jobs could be created globally by 2030 as tackling climate change transforms the labor market.
- In May 2030, The World Economic Forum weighed in with support reporting that companies are facing pressure to accelerate their green transitions as just over 1 in 4 adults say sustainability is one of their top non-negotiables for a new job.
- In July of 2023, USA Today reported that environmental and green careers are flourishing as many job seekers are looking for work in companies aligned with climate goals. A survey of Gen Z and Millennial workers found more than 40% either have or plan to change jobs due to climate concerns. A Deloitte report adds that environmental and sustainability studies are booming in colleges as increasing numbers of students want to advocate for change through where they work.
WHAT JOBS WILL BE IN DEMAND?
America will need electricians, HVAC technicians, and gardeners. Careers like wind turbine services technicians, hydrologists, atmospheric and space scientists, solar photovoltaic installers, soil and plant scientists, conservation scientists, environmental science and protection technicians, environmental engineers, and environmental scientists and specialists will all see growth.
DOES THE GOVERNMENT PUBLISH A JOBS REPORT?
The U.S. Department of Energy publishes a national jobs report every year here. The 2023 Energy Employment By State fact sheet can be found here.
JOB DIRECTORIES AND RESOURCES
For more on where the clean energy jobs are, check out the Climate Jobs National Resource Center. Other job directories are:
Our own ORGANIZATIONS page is another resource as some organizations such as the U.S. Climate Alliance and Wildlife Society host their own job boards.
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