The projected gap in green job postings and green talent as per the  report was just 2 per cent by 2026. But given the 2023 data, the demand-supply gap seems to be growing at an alarming pace. 

The five-year annualised growth rate between 2018- 2023 confirmed the demand for green talent is outpacing supply by almost two times. Over this period, job postings for green talent grew by 9.2 per cent while green talent grew by 5.4 per cent. The LinkedIn report also found that when overall hiring slowed globally, green collar workers bucked the trend, implying a higher resistance against market slumps for green jobs.

Green collar workers or green talent are workers with at least one or more green skills, which are a set of skills aiming to create a positive impact on the environment. Jobs requiring at least one or more green skills are termed green jobs. These can be in green sectors like renewable energy and electric vehicles, or in non- green sectors like oil and gas. Some of the most polluting industries are seeing a consistent rise in green talent concentration over the past few years. Much of this increase has been after the landmark 2015 Paris agreement. 

India’s Ambitious Panchamrit Goals

An analysis of India’s Panchamrit targets reveals that a lot remains to be done. For one, India has promised to generate 500 GW of energy through non-fossil sources by 2030. At present, India’s non-fossil power capacity is 199.85 GW, which is around 45 per cent of its total installed power capacity. Reaching 500 GW of non-fossil installed capacity by 2030 will require a 150 per cent increase over a 6-year span. To put things into perspective, India’s non-fossil installed capacity has grown by 64 per cent from 2018 to 2024. It is evident that achieving the first Panchamrit target is no easy task. This, perhaps, is the very reason why this target has not been included in India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

Although not an official target, meeting 500 GW through non-fossil energy will have many positive implications for India. For one, it will give India a global edge as a leader in the fight against climate change. Second, the environment will benefit from reduced fossil fuel burning. Third, it will generate employment opportunities, particularly green jobs. Four, it will help meet India’s rising energy demand. India’s energy requirement is projected to reach 900 GW by 2030. India’s total installed power capacity at present stands at 442.85 GW. A 500 GW increase in non-fossil capacity will power India’s supply to meet the growing demand.

India’s target to reduce total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now onwards till 2030 and to reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45 per cent by the same year, demands a workforce highly skilled in carbon accounting and energy auditing. The onus lies on green collar talent to guide organisations towards improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions, thereby spearheading India’s target of net zero by 2070. 

Environmental Social and Governance Reporting

Just last week, a Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) panel proposed changes to its  Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework. SEBI had introduced the BRSR framework in 2021. Two years down the line, SEBI introduced BRSR Core, a framework for assurance and Environment Sustainability and Governance (ESG) disclosures for value chains.  BRSR Core is a subset of the BRSR framework. The recently proposed amendments to BRSR include a plan to include green credits in ESG reporting. As ESG frameworks evolve, their success requires a simultaneously evolving workforce, one that can keep up with new requirements.

“In the near future, as more and more organisations are mandated to reduce emissions and work towards net zero, the ESG Industry will grow rapidly and so will the demand for green collar workers. By investing in expanding the workforce now, we can avoid scenarios of talent shortage, salaries going through the roof, and resource attrition” said Shree Parthasarathy, Partner Consulting, and Leader (Digital Trust and Transformation) at Forvis Mazars.

The Global Scenario

With the clock ticking on the IPCC’s 1.5-degree temperature target, countries are obligated to meet their NDCs. Consequently, more and more organisations worldwide are working towards becoming net zero, explaining the rising demand for green skills and workers in some of the most carbon-intensive industries. Sustainable fashion, environmental services, and sustainable growth are three green skills that witnessed more than 60 per cent growth in recent years.

Climate action planning, sustainability education, and corporate sustainability are amongst the fastest-growing green skills in the European Union. LinkedIn reports that both the EU and the US have witnessed a sharp growth in workers who have skill sets at the intersection of finance and sustainability, such as carbon accounting, energy auditing, emissions trading, impact assessment and sustainability reporting.

The Situation In India

“India has witnessed a surge in green skills development initiatives post the announcement of the Panchamrit targets. Renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and environment conservation are the green skill verticals that have gained significant traction across educational institutions and vocational training centers,” said Jitin Chawla, a New Delhi-based career counsellor. 

Chawla added: “While India's green skills ecosystem is rapidly evolving, it still faces challenges in matching global standards. However, with concerted efforts in curriculum development, skill enhancement programs, and industry collaborations, India has the potential to bridge the gap and meet international benchmarks in green skills training.”

How To Expand India’s Green Collar Workforce

To expand India's green collar workforce, it is crucial to focus on several key areas. Strengthening the environmental sciences education sector in India by introducing specialised courses and training programmes in green skills across educational institutions and vocational training centres can bring rich dividends. However, this can only be possible with the twin support of government and industry.

As per Chawla, the government should provide incentives and subsidies to businesses and individuals for investing in green skills training and adopting sustainable practices. Industry too must play a proactive role. Partnerships and collaborations with industry stakeholders can align training programmes and curriculum with industry requirements, making India’s green-collar workforce more competitive as per global standards.

Investing in research and innovation is crucial for success. There is an urgent need to develop a standardised science-backed framework for carbon auditing that would be uniform across the country. So is the need to develop more energy-efficient technologies and work on making them more affordable. Research is also needed in the domain of carbon capture and storage. “Clients ask us to help them become more energy efficient, for us to make that possible the technologies need to be there and the client should be able to afford them,” said Parthasarathy.

A skilled green-collar workforce is as important in the fight against climate change as climate finance. India has been supplying tech experts across the globe, and correct policy interventions at the right time can position India to fulfil the green talent demands of other countries as well. The government, industry, and academia must come together to ensure India’s human capital is well-positioned in the fight against climate change.

(The author is an alumnus in public policy management from IIM Kozhikode. She specialises in environmental policy. Views expressed are personal.)