Report on Scottish Green Jobs Released Amid COP27
A new report from the universities of Warwick and Strathclyde says that there is a lot of demand for green jobs in Scotland. The country is being praised for being one of the first in the world to give a clear definition of what these jobs are.
Green Jobs in Scotland: An Inclusive Approach to Definition, Measurement, and Analysis discovered that as Scotland moves to net zero, up to 100,000 jobs are "new and emerging."
The report, which was released during both Scottish Careers Week and Youth Generations Day at COP27, also discovered that green jobs pay higher-than-average wages and that the majority of these jobs are held by young people aged 25 to 29.
Minister for Just Transition, Employment, and Fair Work, Richard Lochhead, said:
“Scotland’s green jobs revolution is underway, and I warmly welcome this new report.
“Although the researchers regard this as an upper estimate, it is encouraging to see a strong greening of jobs in Scotland.
“It is particularly appropriate today, on Youth and Future Generations Day at COP27, to reaffirm the importance that, as we transition our society and economy towards a low-carbon, net zero future, no individual, community, or region is left behind.”
With the backing of Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Government, the report was commissioned by the Implementation Steering Group behind Scotland's Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan.
It is also believed that demand for green jobs is distributed throughout Scotland, with slightly higher numbers in the east and southwest.
Also, more than a quarter of green jobs in Scotland already exist, but they require more training or skills.
As a result, the report suggests categorising green jobs into three categories: new and emerging jobs, current jobs requiring increased skills, and existing jobs that are now in higher demand.
Professor and chair of the Implementation Steering Group at the University of Edinburgh, Dave Reay, says that Scotland is one of the first places in the world to define green jobs in this way.
He said: “This definition is vital for Scotland and means all of us with a stake in the skills system can use the data to better meet demands and address inequalities.
"We are one of the first countries in the world to offer a detailed definition that fits our jobs and skills market. Since the data is updated in real-time, we can constantly change and improve our responses to make sure we have the skills we need, when we need them, well into the future."
Despite emphasising the advantages of Scotland's journey to net zero, the study also shows that more needs to be done to address a significant gender gap in green jobs.
Women are under-represented in this area, with 72.2% of roles held by men and only 27.8% by women.
Natalie Buxton, chair of the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board’s Gender Commission, said:
“We know that women are vastly under-represented in sectors such as engineering and construction, which offer ‘high value' occupations and better pay, therefore it is no surprise that almost three-quarters of green jobs are currently done by men.
“There is much that employers, government, and key influencers can do to address a lack of gender diversity in the workforce, and the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board’s Gender Commission offers clear recommendations on actions that can be taken now and in the longer term to help address this longstanding societal issue.”
Source: The National
