Green jobs must be a priority of any new government with growing green skills also seen as top of that agenda, says the Institute of Environment Management & Assessment (IEMA).

With demand for green skills globally growing nearly twice as fast as the growth in green talent – a global green skills gap is looming, which will have implications for whoever wins the General Election.

Green jobs listings worldwide requiring at least one “green skill” grew nearly twice as fast (22.4% between 2022 & 2023 on Linkedin) as the growth in green talent in the workforce (12.3%).
Jobs requiring green skills now make up 30% of UK job listings.
IEMA is calling for the establishment of a permanent cross-government body to work with industry to deliver the Green Jobs Plan that was due to be launched this summer, but is now likely to been put on hold due to the election.

IEMA Deputy CEO, Martin Baxter, said: “There is a Green Skills Gap looming. With demand for green skills growing nearly twice as fast as the growth in green talent.

“A skilled workforce is vital for net zero. If unaddressed, the Green Skills shortage will compromise efforts to achieve legally-binding net zero targets and ensure a just transition away from fossil fuels.

“Meeting our climate and environmental targets is an economy-wide challenge. Not one for sustainability professionals and organisations alone. It is increasingly a necessity that all job roles can help contribute to delivering greener outcomes.

“The most successful organisations over the next two decades will weave green skills into their workforces much in the way digital skills spread over previous decades.

“A cross-government body, like a Green Jobs Council, can take the lead with a strategic approach to delivering a future Green Jobs Plan and driving growth in green skills across the economy that is tied to our long-term climate and environmental goals.”