United Nations Environment Programme

Green Jobs and Sustainable Development

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) orchestrated a dynamic session that illuminated the profound potential of green jobs and skills in propelling sustainable development. This workshop ignited spirited discussions that shed light on the essential skills and opportunities crucial for guiding the private sector towards sustainability.

The session’s commencement, led by Mr. Mushtaq Memon, Regional Coordinator for Pollution and Chemicals and Action at the UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, echoed the central theme: green jobs transcend sectors. This pivotal theme revolved around reshaping existing roles to forge a path towards sustainable progress. Importantly, it underscored the necessity for green jobs to be of high quality, ensuring a just transition that leaves no one behind.

Ms. Youngran Hur, Regional Coordinator for Global Opportunities for SDGs (GO4SDGs) in Asia and the Pacific, unveiled the aspirations and initiatives of the Green Jobs for Youth Pact. This pact aims to catalyse the creation of 1 million green jobs, transition 1 million existing roles into green careers, and empower 10,000 young individuals to initiate or expand their green businesses.

Youth empowerment emerged as a resounding theme, resonating with a call to action for young individuals to enhance their green skills through various avenues, including full-time employment and passionate advocacy.

Providing a corporate perspective, Ms. Moh Suthasiny, Co-Founder of Happy Grocers, shared insights into embedding sustainability within business operations. Her experiences vividly illustrated how sustainability can lead to the emergence of green jobs and cultivate an awareness of sustainability within the corporate landscape.

As the workshop reached its culmination with a spirited panel discussion, the audience actively engaged with questions spanning from building green skills to fostering stakeholder engagement and ensuring inclusivity in green job creation.

This workshop resonated as an inspiring testament to the potential of green jobs and skills in steering us towards sustainable development. It served as a rallying call for youth action and educational adaptation, leaving participants primed to advocate for green jobs while advancing their green skills, in alignment with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.