Earth Today | 32 million jobs and counting
Nature-based solutions promise employment galore
Published:Thursday | January 23, 2025 | 12:08 AM
AS MUCH as 32 million new jobs could become available to persons globally by 2030, but only with greater and more equitable investments in nature-based solutions (NbS).
The revelation is made in a recent report from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), done in collaboration with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
NbS, according to information out of the IUCN, embody those actions that “protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems, benefiting people and nature at the same time”.
According to the report, titled Decent Work in Nature-based Solutions: Unlocking jobs through investment in skills and nature-based infrastructure, “NbS hold significant potential to advance global sustainable development and potentially generate 20-32 million new jobs by 2030, in addition to the current 60.5-63 million jobs worldwide.
“However, insufficient and uneven investment in NbS, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), limits their impact, especially in Africa, Latin America and the Arab states. While employment estimates currently focus on NbS for environmental challenges like climate mitigation and biodiversity loss, as well as land degradation, there is untapped potential for more integrated ‘green-grey’ infrastructure,” the 2024 report added.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE TRAINING
“In LMIC, where NbS work is more labour-intensive, there is large scope for creating employment opportunities for vulnerable populations. Skills gaps in both technical (e.g., ecology, engineering) and core (e.g., communication, collaboration) skills pose barriers, with most existing NbS jobs classified as medium-skilled roles. As NbS grows, higher-skilled roles are projected to rise, emphasising the need for targeted skills development to scale projects and enhance job quality,” it added.
Investment in skills development and workforce training, the report said, should look at a range of skills needs, in urban and rural settings, while integrating NbS into education and training curricula and developing NbS-specific qualifications.
“International collaboration should enhance the understanding of skills needs, enabling local programmes to identify their specific needs and adapt training to align with regional ecological priorities.,” it said.
Among the report’s other recommendations for success is to strengthen and align national NbS policy frameworks to capitalise on progress made at the global level.
“Develop policies at different levels to better integrate NbS into infrastructure, agriculture and other sectors. Improve coordination across sectors and governance levels to ensure policy coherence, foster project pipelines and investor investment confidence. Engage private-sector players to drive innovation and job creation,” it said.
COLLABORATIONS
Partnerships are also important.
“International collaboration should enhance the understanding of skills needs, enabling local programmes to identify their specific needs and adapt training to align with regional ecological priorities,” the report noted.
Another success factor is rights promotion and inclusivity in the NbS workforce.
“Implement measures to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, social dialogue and social protection. Promote gender equity, youth engagement and indigenous participation in NbS jobs. Leverage public employment programmes to include marginalised communities in NbS projects,” noted the report, which is the second in a series of ILO-UNEP-IUCN publications on Decent Work in Nature-based Solutions.
Countries must also give attention to research and data collection for better decision-making, even as standardised frameworks to assess NbS impacts and job creation potential are created, using tools like ILO’s Employment Impact Assessments.
“Collaborate across academia, governments and the private sector to enhance knowledge-sharing and scaling efforts,” it recommended, noting that “NbS jobs provide immediate income and tangible benefits to local communities, which is crucial for their support and participation in NbS”.
“Integrating decent work into NbS aligns with just transition principles, ensuring that benefits reach those affected by environmental changes. By creating sustainable livelihoods, NbS can drive both ecological and social progress, making job creation a vital element of successful NbS implementation,” it added.