Transforming Sustainability from Green to a Personalized gHReeN Approach: Highlighting the Human Element in Environmental Preservation

The global economy is on the brink of a major transformation, with a shift towards renewable energy and sustainable industries becoming increasingly inevitable. This transition, however, brings about challenges, particularly for those working in industries that are traditionally reliant on fossil fuels.

In 2020, the United States oil industry suffered a significant blow, losing over 100,000 jobs due to the OPEC price war and the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world moves towards cleaner energy solutions, the automotive industry's aggressive move to electrify its fleets is likely to force the oil and gas industry to shed more jobs.

Amidst this turbulence, there is a growing recognition of the opportunity that lies in aligning climate policies with workforce goals. For instance, China has made significant strides in retraining workers for the clean energy sector, currently accounting for nearly 40 percent of all jobs worldwide devoted to renewable energy.

Europe is also at the forefront of this transition. The European Commission unveiled the Green Deal, an ambitious plan to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The Just Transition Fund, a major component of the Green Deal, will provide up to €150 billion over the next 10 years for reskilling and loans or loan guarantees for employers transitioning to green technology.

The United States, under President Joe Biden, has a $2-trillion plan to transform the economy, focusing on clean energy, energy efficiency, and the electric vehicle industry. Biden's "American Jobs Plan" proposes $100 billion for workforce training programs and seeks to double the number of registered apprenticeships.

However, there is skepticism and hostility about the idea of transitioning workers into greener industries. Shawn Steffee's comments in The New York Times highlight this sentiment, raising concerns about the potential disruption and uncertainty that such a transition may bring.

It is crucial, therefore, to approach this transition with sensitivity and a focus on human needs. The transition to a green economy should treat human beings as people, not commodities that can be moved arbitrarily from one job to another. Smart green policies can lead to a faster and more inclusive transition towards a green economy, ensuring that the green transition aligns with the human needs of workers.

For instance, German automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen recognized the potential in their own employees to transition and implemented a transformation plan to reskill and redeploy affected employees into entirely new jobs, rather than laying them off. Similarly, Enel-Endesa, a Spanish energy company, collaborated with partners to launch 20 new renewable energy projects throughout a province, creating more than 300 jobs for former workers of a decommissioned thermal plant.

However, without adequate skills development, the global economy could shed as many as 71 million jobs in its move towards becoming circular, according to McKinsey. Among the 183 countries that have committed to the Paris Agreement's targets, less than 40 percent include plans for skills training, and more than one in five have no plans for any training or capacity development measures at all.

The UK government's recent advertisement for a jobs reskilling campaign, featuring a ballet dancer and suggesting her next job could be in cyber security, sparked controversy, highlighting the need for a more thoughtful and human-centric approach to workforce transition.

In conclusion, the transition to a green economy is not just about replacing one industry with another. It's about viewing workforce as renewable power, not as a replaceable asset. There is an urgent need to unleash a new generation of re-/upskilling initiatives to prepare as many people as possible for the jobs of the future. Smart policies and investment in reskilling could reverse the job losses in industries like oil and gas, potentially leading to a net growth of 18 million jobs in the energy sector alone. The green transition will never accomplish its climate goals unless it can fully align with the human needs of workers.