As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, the urgency to transition towards a green economy has never been clearer. India, aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 and a renewable energy capacity of 500 GW, stands at a pivotal juncture. This shift involves energy, reimagining our workforce, and cultivating green talent to drive innovation and resilience across sectors.

The importance of green jobs

In today’s dynamic landscape, business strategy cannot be derived without deliberations on sustainability, ESG compliance, and decarbonisation. India is transitioning toward a green economy, and jobs in this segment will rise. According to a report by TeamLease Digital, India has the potential to double its current green job count from 18.52 million to 35 million by 2047. Such an increase will require parallel upskilling of the existing workforce and more courses focused on technical expertise, industry-specific knowledge, and digital proficiencies. This talent pool would be an asset for both the country and industries.

Governmental support

The Union Budget 2024 showcases the government's focus on green growth through INR 17,490 crores allocated to the Strategic Intervention for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT program) and significant boosts to the Product Linked Incentive scheme and the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Government initiatives such as the Smart City Mission, Make in India, National Solar Mission, Green India Mission, National Water Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission play important roles in stimulating the demand for green skills. Additionally, growth will stem from climate-friendly manufacturing, infrastructure development, and research and development.

Potential in India for green jobs

There has been a perception change around careers in sustainability. Green jobs are emerging across sectors like renewable energy, agriculture, infrastructure, waste management, and automotive, in roles such as consulting, designing, implementation, and execution. According to the report 'Gearing Up the Workforce for a Green Economy' by the Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ) and Sattva Consulting, in collaboration with JP Morgan, sectors expected to create large-scale employment include biofuel, solar energy, wind energy, and green hydrogen. The bioenergy and green hydrogen sectors will likely generate 0.27 million and 0.6 million jobs, respectively, by 2030. Solar energy is expected to generate 3.26 million jobs by 2050, while wind energy is expected to support 0.18 million jobs by 2030.

Challenges in developing green talent

Even as the number of green jobs grows, the ecosystem for developing needed skills is still in its infancy. More than 500 government and private training institutes are working towards bridging the gap, but there is a huge requirement for increased training if green growth is to be achieved at a faster pace. Systemic challenges include the lack of a conducive policy framework for developing green skills, funding gaps, inadequate skill infrastructure, exclusion of vulnerable groups, and lack of collaboration among key stakeholders. Research by the Skill Council for Green Jobs showed that while 85% of candidates were exposed to 'green' or climate-positive jobs, only 35% knew about concrete job roles or programs for skill-building. To meet these challenges, significant effort is needed in upskilling and reskilling the current workforce, training entry-level workforces, entrepreneurship-led models, diversity and inclusion, and formalization and protection of green jobs.

Conclusion

Green growth in India requires collaboration between industries, the government, educational institutions, universities, and researchers. This collaboration will help create an ecosystem that fosters talent, enhances innovation, and propels the nation toward its sustainability goals. By fostering the right skills and implementing supportive government initiatives, India can achieve its net-zero goals and lead the way in building a sustainable green economy.