Sustainability Careers

Abstract

Addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development are the grand challenges for this century. This review assesses how sustainability and green jobs are changing in response to these formidable challenges, with a focus on energy transitions and responsible production and consumption. The energy transition to renewable sources will generate a net increase in employment, although some regions of the world may see net losses. Jobs in responsible consumption and production, motivated by changing consumer demand and savings from circular economy strategies, will increase the number of green and sustainability jobs. Since sustainability and green jobs require higher levels of creative problem-solving, more nonroutine activities, formal education, and on-the-job training than traditional jobs, more training will be necessary to meet skills demands in green and sustainability positions. We review how competency and capacity approaches to learning, credentialing, and on-the-job training have been employed to meet growing demand for sustainability and green jobs.