Creating green jobs

Unemployment and climate change, two seemingly unrelated issues, should dominate the narratives in Indian politics. Every second young Indian is jobless, and this crisis dealt a blistering blow to the Modi-led government.

Meanwhile, recent climate change-related disasters in Wayanad, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand and the frequent urban floods in Indian cities are causes of grave concern. Can these two challenges be linked economically to devise a national policy? The answer is a resounding yes! But how?

To tackle the immense challenges of unemployment and climate change head-on, India needs to invest in its green economy and formulate national policy.

A green economy prioritises environmental sustainability, mitigating ecological risks and scarcities while fostering development that harmonises with nature.

This eco-friendly approach generates ‘green jobs’—employment opportunities that contribute to a sustainable future, balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship.

India has committed to becoming a net-zero economy by 2070 at the 26th Conference of Parties (CoP26) in Glasgow in 2021.

It also pledged to reduce 1 billion tonnes of projected emissions by 2030 and to achieve a carbon intensity reduction of over 45 per cent from 2005 levels.

According to the Green Industry Outlook report by TeamLease Digital, India has the potential to create an additional 18 million green jobs by 2047. The decarbonisation plan by 2070 can potentially create 50 million new jobs.

The concept of green jobs is still in its infancy in India’s political economy; these jobs can be created across a variety of sectors.

Key sectors include renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, water management (water conservation, recycling, groundwater management), waste management, and land management (natural farming).

However, India’s progress in developing a green jobs and sustainable transition policy is inconsistent, hindered by the absence of a universally accepted definition of green jobs.

There are also no guidelines for evaluating the employment effects of transitioning to environmentally friendly practices at various levels, with only scattered estimates of renewable energy job opportunities from think tanks.

This makes the task at hand challenging. What we do know is that India needs jobs, and its climate change-linked vulnerability is high. More than 80 per cent of India’s population lives in districts at risk of climate-induced disasters. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, declining groundwater levels, retreating glaciers, intense cyclones, and sea-level rise could precipitate major crises for livelihoods, food security, and the economy.

The government has announced a multitude of measures, but it lacks a single comprehensive policy to address the challenges of climate change. Lofty ambitions belie actual implementation.

The Environment Ministry’s budget has increased by a mere 1.03 per cent on average between 2013-2014 and 2024-2025, which is insufficient for any substantive progress towards creating a green economy. Therefore, enhanced private sector support and participation is extremely crucial.

In India where 80-85 per cent jobs are in informal sectors with low or semi-skilled work, moving the needle on sustainability through ESG (environment, social, governance) mandates for firms and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will help create additional jobs.

Enhancing green transition policies can create new job opportunities in climate finance, carbon budgeting, consulting, and engineering.

The policy focus should not only be on building climate-conscious careers, but also on enabling ‘just transition’. A ‘just transition’ approach is crucial, requiring a clear roadmap for MSMEs and workers in traditional industries, such as internal combustion engine vehicle repair shops, to adapt to emerging technologies like electric vehicles, ensuring a sustainable and inclusive transition.

In nutshell, green jobs are integral to the impact economy and should be promoted as rewarding career opportunities where professionals can “do well” for themselves and simultaneously “do good” for the planet.

The current scenario sends mixed signals. While the policy focus has improved, the technical capacity to understand the multiple dimensions of expertise required for this transition remains limited.

Neither the government nor the industry has a concrete plan to upskill the present workforce to enable this green transition. There is lack of focus on creating an engaging curriculum on dimensions of climate change and Just transition.

India has few advanced climate science degrees and even fewer interdisciplinary courses, with most programmes being theory-oriented, failing to bridge the education-skill gap.

Furthermore, the government’s lack of commitment to creating an enabling environment and prioritising climate sustainability, hinders progress in evolving such a policy, resulting in lower innovation rates in the industry.

India’s industry demands sustainability professionals yet hesitates to take concrete actions. Government policies exist but lack a comprehensive, ecosystem approach, and regulatory enforcement is an impediment. A strong policy push is crucial to integrate education, training, upskilling, and finance, driving a green and just transition for sustainable growth.

(Rachit Seth is the founder, Policy Briefcase and is a political communications consultant. Aakash Mehrotra is an international development consultant working with Oxford Policy Management)