The transition to a sustainable future represents a significant shift for the UK and the global economy. With the world economy projected to grow 16-times by 2100, green growth—economic progress rooted in sustainability—must take centre stage. Every sector must adapt to new ways of working, and green skills are at the heart of this transformation.

Green skills encompass a broad range of expertise, including renewable energy, sustainability reporting, and green IT. These skills are not only critical for meeting net-zero goals but also for driving innovation, creating jobs, and building climate resilience. However, the green skills gap is a pressing challenge: less than 5% of jobs in developed economies are green, and the UK alone faces a shortfall of over 200,000 skilled workers.

Access the full paper

 

What are green skills and why do they matter?

Green skills enable individuals and organisations to address sustainability challenges and seize new opportunities. They fall into three key categories:

  • Soft skills: Adaptability, collaboration, and problem-solving for navigating green industries.
  • Cross-sectoral skills: Competencies like sustainability reporting and climate risk management that apply across industries.
  • Sector-specific skills: Technical expertise in areas such as hydrogen fuel cells, carbon capture, and solar energy design.

These skills are essential for unlocking green growth and ensuring the UK can build sustainable infrastructure, foster renewable energy, and create climate-smart industries.

The urgency of closing the green skills gap

The UK needs 400,000 jobs filled to meet its net-zero targets, but the skills shortage is a barrier. Key industries, including construction, utilities, and technology, are struggling to find workers with the right expertise. Addressing this gap is critical not just for environmental goals but also for economic growth and social equity.

With 794,000 young people in the UK not in education, employment, or training, the green economy presents an opportunity to tackle youth unemployment while building the workforce of the future.
Green skills are more than a response to climate change - they are the foundation for a thriving, resilient economy. This paper marks the first of a series from CGI around the green skills gap and how organisations, governments, and individuals must work together to close the gap and accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.