The World Economic Forum (WEF) emphasizes the urgent need to develop skills for the green transition. While the gap between supply and demand has narrowed by 12% between 2022 and 2023, a significant shortage of qualified workers persists. For the first time, environmental protection has entered the list of the fastest-growing sustainable jobs, according to the WEF.
Transformative Trends in the Job Market
The WEF’s latest Future of Jobs Report 2025, released ahead of its annual Davos summit, identifies three key trends reshaping the job market by 2030:
- Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
- Energy Transition
- Climate Change Adaptation
Among the most rapidly growing professions are green jobs—roles centered on sustainability and environmental preservation. These include specialists in autonomous and electric vehicles, renewable energy engineers, and environmental engineers.
The report is based on a survey of over 1,000 global employers, representing more than 14 million workers across 22 industries and 55 economies. According to the findings, ongoing transformations are expected to generate 170 million new jobs by 2030, accounting for 14% of the current workforce. However, these changes will also displace approximately 92 million roles, resulting in a net gain of 78 million jobs.
The Role of Green Jobs by 2030
A significant portion of these new roles will be green jobs. The WEF has long forecasted a surge in sustainable employment, but critical barriers remain, chief among them being the mismatch between demand and available skills.
Despite a 12% increase in green competencies globally between 2022 and 2023, the demand for skilled professionals continues to outstrip supply. The WEF underscores the urgency of investing in education and training to harness the opportunities of the green transition.
Green Skills Are Transforming Industries
The data reveals a powerful trend: combating the climate crisis is shaping the future of work, despite geopolitical uncertainties and stalled international climate diplomacy. Key insights from the report include:
- 47% of employers anticipate that investments in reducing carbon emissions will drive business transformation.
- 41% of employers expect significant operational changes to adapt to climate change.
These trends are particularly pronounced in carbon-intensive industries like Automotive, Aerospace (71%), and Mining and Metals (69%), where decarbonization efforts will require extensive upskilling and reskilling of the workforce.
Demand for roles such as renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers, and electric vehicle specialists is surging. These positions rank among the top 15 fastest-growing jobs, according to the WEF. Additionally, environmental protection has entered the list of the 10 fastest-growing skills for the first time.
Download the Future of Jobs Report 2025
To explore the full report and gain insights into the rapidly evolving job market, download the Future of Jobs Report 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What urgent need does the World Economic Forum (WEF) highlight regarding the green transition?
The WEF emphasizes the urgent need to develop skills for the green transition due to a significant shortage of qualified workers, despite a 12% improvement between 2022 and 2023. - What are the key trends reshaping the job market according to the Future of Jobs Report 2025?
The three main trends are digitalization and artificial intelligence, energy transition, and climate change adaptation. - Which industries show the highest demand for green skills?
Industries such as Automotive, Aerospace, and Mining and Metals are heavily impacted by decarbonization efforts, requiring extensive upskilling and reskilling. - How many jobs will be created and displaced by 2030?
By 2030, 170 million new jobs are expected to be created, while 92 million will be displaced, resulting in a net gain of 78 million jobs. - Which green professional roles are most in demand according to the WEF?
Roles such as renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers, and electric vehicle specialists are among the most in-demand and rank within the top 15 fastest-growing jobs.