The rise of green jobs in India and why companies are struggling to find talent

India’s transition to a low-carbon economy is rapidly reshaping its labour market. From renewable energy and sustainable construction to climate finance and ESG reporting, companies are creating new roles at a pace that the workforce is struggling to match.

Industry leaders say the shift is not only expanding employment opportunities but also redefining the skills companies expect from employees.

“The green economy is dramatically expanding India’s job market and redefining the skills employers need,” said P. GopalaKrishnan, Managing Director for Southeast Asia and the Middle East at the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), in an interview with People Matters.

He noted that demand is rising for “green-collar” professionals across sectors, including renewable energy engineers, sustainable construction managers, ESG analysts and waste-management specialists.

The surge reflects India’s increasingly ambitious climate targets. The country has committed to achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2070, goals that require large-scale expansion of clean energy projects, electric mobility, circular economy initiatives and green buildings.

Each of these industries, GopalaKrishnan said, requires specialised skills that remain in short supply.

A fast-growing demand for green skills

Evidence of the shift can already be seen in professional credentialing. According to GopalaKrishnan, India added 574 new LEED-credentialed professionals in 2025 alone, pushing the national total past 2,000.

India also ranked among the top three global markets outside the United States for LEED-certified projects, underscoring strong demand for sustainable construction expertise.

For workers entering the labour market, the message is clear. Sustainability literacy is increasingly becoming a core competency.

“Green skills—whether technical (solar, wind, energy modelling), operational (EHS, resource efficiency), or analytical (ESG, lifecycle assessment, carbon accounting)—are fast becoming core to employability and career growth,” he said.

Yet despite rising demand, many companies say finding candidates with the right capabilities remains difficult.

Skill gaps slowing the green transition

According to GopalaKrishnan, India’s sustainability ambitions have moved faster than the workforce’s ability to develop the required expertise.

“The biggest gaps are in the specialised technical skills and practical experience required to implement India’s bold sustainability goals,” he said.

One structural challenge lies in education and training systems that historically paid little attention to climate or sustainability topics.

“Historically, our higher education and vocational training systems did not include much content on climate change, green building, or renewable energy,” he noted.

Although India’s National Education Policy 2020 called for embedding sustainability and skill-based learning into curricula, implementation has been uneven. As a result, graduates often lack hands-on capabilities in areas such as building energy simulation, waste audits or lifecycle assessments.

Employers also report limited familiarity among job seekers with specialised tools and standards used in the industry.

“Proficiency in LEED, energy modelling software, life-cycle assessment, or carbon accounting is not yet common among new workforce entrants,” GopalaKrishnan said.

New disciplines such as climate finance and ESG reporting are creating further pressure on the talent pipeline. These roles require a combination of environmental expertise and financial knowledge that relatively few professionals currently possess.

Credentials becoming a key hiring signal

As demand grows, companies are increasingly turning to professional accreditation systems as a way to identify qualified talent.

“In a field that is evolving as quickly as sustainability, accreditations serve as a trusted benchmark of knowledge and skills,” GopalaKrishnan said.

Credentials such as LEED Green Associate or LEED Accredited Professional help signal competency in sustainable building practices and environmental standards. Companies often prefer candidates with such certifications because they demonstrate familiarity with energy efficiency, water management and sustainable materials.

Beyond LEED, GBCI administers specialised credentials focused on specific sustainability domains.

For example, the TRUE Advisor certificate focuses on zero-waste strategies and sustainable waste management, while the LEED Green Rater programme trains professionals to verify whether residential projects meet green building standards.

Other credentials, including WELL Accredited Professional and SITES AP, validate expertise in healthy buildings and sustainable landscapes respectively.

Together, these frameworks are becoming an important pathway for professionals seeking careers in sustainability.

Companies investing in internal capability

For many organisations, hiring alone will not solve the talent shortage. Companies must also develop sustainability capabilities within their existing workforces.

GopalaKrishnan said organisations should integrate sustainability into corporate training and human resource development programmes, rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.

“An increasing number of firms are encouraging employees to pursue respected certifications like the LEED Green Associate or LEED AP, or to become TRUE Advisors for waste management,” he said.

Some companies reimburse certification costs or provide incentives to employees who obtain recognised credentials. Others are establishing internal training initiatives or partnering with sustainability organisations to build expertise in architecture, engineering and facility management teams.

Specialised instructors are also playing a role in scaling knowledge.

“We have seen firms bring in USGBC Faculty – who are experienced sustainability instructors certified by USGBC – to conduct tailored training sessions for their teams,” he said.

Universities are also beginning to adopt similar models. Through programmes such as USGBC Education’s Campus Subscription, students gain access to training resources designed to prepare them for LEED certification exams.

India’s global opportunity

Despite the talent gap, India remains well positioned to build a large green workforce.

“In terms of green building and infrastructure, India is currently ahead of most of Southeast Asia and on par with leading Middle Eastern nations,” GopalaKrishnan said.

In 2025 alone, India added 611 LEED-certified projects covering more than 16 million square metres, ranking third globally after the United States and China.

India’s scale, he said, offers a significant competitive advantage.

The country’s young workforce and large infrastructure pipeline could enable it not only to meet domestic sustainability goals but also to export green expertise internationally.

Building a future-ready workforce

Closing the skills gap will require closer collaboration between industry, academia and policymakers.

One example is the LEED Lab programme, which allows university students to audit and retrofit campus buildings as part of coursework, giving them hands-on experience with sustainability practices.

Government initiatives such as the Skill India Mission and the sustainability focus in the National Education Policy also aim to align training with emerging green industries.

Looking ahead, GopalaKrishnan believes the most successful professionals will combine sustainability expertise with digital and analytical skills.

“As the world moves toward smart, climate-resilient infrastructure and data-driven sustainability solutions, individuals who can combine domain knowledge with digital skills will lead,” he said.

At the same time, the workforce transition must remain inclusive.

Women currently hold only about 11–12% of green jobs in India, highlighting the need to broaden access to training and opportunities across regions and demographics.

Ultimately, the success of India’s green transition will depend not only on policy ambition but on whether the country can equip its workforce with the skills needed to deliver it.

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