Employment shifts from climate policy changes

As solar capacity expands and markets stabilize or shift, what does this mean for hiring trends in the sector? Will we see shifts in the demand for talent, especially in areas like project development, engineering, and energy storage integration? And how will companies balance the challenges of growth in some markets with retrenchment in others? I remember in the early solar booms of the early 2010's when top talent moved from one 'hot' market to the next. Will we see the same again? The European solar market is undergoing significant shifts as we step into 2025. While countries like Germany and the Netherlands face challenges, with declining residential demand and market corrections, others such as Spain, Italy, and France are emerging as growth leaders. Key insights from 2024: Spain: PV's share of the energy mix reached 18%, with an additional 3.8 GW installed by October, solidifying its position as a net exporter of electricity. Italy: A 44% growth in installations in the first half of 2024 added 3.3 GW, with a clear roadmap aiming for 79 GW total solar capacity by 2030. France: Smaller PV projects (<500 kW) drove the 3.5 GW growth in the first three quarters, fueled by strong adoption in the residential and mid-scale markets. Meanwhile, Germany and the Netherlands are grappling with policy changes, subsidy reductions, and competition from cheaper imports, resulting in declining residential markets and industry consolidation. I’d love to hear your thoughts—what impacts do you foresee for the solar job market in 2025? 🌞

EPA Workforce Reductions: A Policy Shift with Nationwide Implications US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently informed over 1,100 employees that they could face immediate termination. Many of these professionals were hired to enforce environmental laws, mitigate pollution, and implement federally funded clean energy projects. This workforce reduction raises serious concerns about the future of environmental protection and public health efforts across the country. Here’s what’s at stake: ✅ The EPA distributes over $4 billion in grants annually—funding critical projects such as lead pipe replacement, toxic waste remediation, and clean energy development. A shrinking agency workforce may slow down or halt these initiatives, leaving communities with fewer resources to address pollution and infrastructure challenges. ✅ Environmental justice programs face uncertainty. Many communities, particularly those with limited local resources (typically Red states), rely on federal funding to address disproportionate air and water pollution exposure. A reduction in staffing and resources could make it more difficult for these communities to receive necessary support. ✅ States with smaller environmental budgets (GOP led states) will feel the greatest impact. Many do not have the state-level funding necessary to offset potential losses in federal investment. The ability to maintain water quality, air pollution controls, and land conservation efforts could be significantly affected. ✅ This shift aligns with broader efforts to reconsider funding for key environmental and infrastructure initiatives. Proposed reductions in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding may further limit state and local governments’ ability to sustain environmental and clean energy programs. Why does this matter? Because environmental protection and public health are long-term investments that require stable resources. Federal funding plays a crucial role in addressing pollution, mitigating climate risks, and supporting economic development through clean energy and infrastructure projects. Without strong federal support, many communities will struggle to maintain these efforts. #EnvironmentalPolicy #EPA #Sustainability #CleanEnergy

The green transition is already reshaping the global workforce. The World Economic Forum’s 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 2025 reveals that. Let's take a closer look at the findings ↓ 1. Green Transition - 47% of global employers expect climate change #mitigation to transform their business by 2030. - 41% of them expect climate change #adaptation to also drive significant change. - These rank as the 3rd and 6th most transformative macrotrends globally. 2. Green Jobs Key roles expected to grow rapidly include: - Renewable Energy Engineers - Environmental Engineers - Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Specialists Growth is fueled by carbon reduction policies and rising green infrastructure investments. 3. Impacted Sectors - 71% in automotive and aerospace - 69% in mining and metals These carbon-intensive industries are key targets for transformation. 4. Green Skills - From 2022 to 2023, workers acquiring green skills grew by 12%, while job postings rose by nearly 22%. - Key skills in demand include sustainability/ESG literacy, and energy transition knowledge. - For the 1st time, environmental stewardship ranks among the top 10 fastest-growing skills. - This reflects growing recognition of environmental literacy as a core capability beyond sustainability roles. 6. Skilling for a Just Transition - Reskilling and upskilling are critical for sectors most affected by decarbonization. - Production workers will need support as green processes disrupt traditional roles. 7. Climate Readiness - South-East Asia: 72% of employers anticipate transformation due to climate mitigation. - Central Asia: Only 19% view climate change as relevant, indicating lower preparedness. 8. Talent Development - #DEI strategies are helping tap into underrepresented talent pools. - 83% of employers have DEI initiatives, up from 67% in 2023, supporting broader ESG goals. Green #jobs are no longer niche. They are becoming central to the economy, and workforce strategies must evolve to keep pace.

🔻 History Repeats Itself? Solar Collapse in Germany (2012) vs. What’s Looming in the U.S. 🇺🇸 In 2012, Germany — once the global leader in solar — made a fateful political decision: it slashed subsidies and capped new installations. The result? 👉 Over 80,000 solar jobs vanished. 👉 Major companies like Q-Cells collapsed. 👉 A thriving industry went dark almost overnight. Fast forward to today: The United States is riding a solar renaissance, thanks in large part to the Inflation Reduction Act and historic clean energy investment. But that progress is at risk. The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” — a proposed shift away from green energy toward fossil fuels — could cause: ⚠️ Tens of thousands of U.S. clean energy jobs lost ⚠️ Solar firms crushed by uncertainty and lost incentives ⚠️ A chilling message to investors: “America isn’t serious about clean tech.” Let’s be clear: Germany’s 2012 pivot was a warning shot. A premature policy reversal crippled innovation, erased jobs, and surrendered global leadership — just as solar was about to soar. 🇺🇸 If the U.S. repeats this mistake, the damage won’t be isolated. It could derail our position in the global energy race and send hundreds of billions in potential investment overseas. The climate doesn’t care about political cycles. But markets do. Let’s not kill the momentum now. The cost of stepping back? Jobs. Leadership. Time we don’t have. #CleanEnergy #SolarPower #ClimatePolicy #GreenJobs #BigBeautifulBill #EnergyTransition #Germany #USA #Sustainability #Renewables #LinkedInVoices

World leaders have pledged to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, coinciding with an anticipated peak in fossil fuel usage, another indicator of a swift transition to clean energy.  But is the job market keeping pace with this shift? The global oil and gas industry saw a 21% decrease in the share of members working in it between January 2016 and August 2023, according to data from LinkedIn's Economic Graph. In sharp contrast, the renewable energy workforce saw a 26% increase in the same time period. This global shift is mirrored in the UAE where the share of members working in oil and gas recorded a 22% decrease between January 2016 and August 2023. However, there was only a marginal 0.10% increase in the renewable energy workforce. While this gradual shift to careers in the renewable energy industry is encouraging, employment in the global oil and gas industry is still five times larger than the renewables industry, LinkedIn data indicates. Reflecting this pattern, the share of the workforce in oil and gas in the UAE was 3.47% in August 2023, compared to 0.093% for renewable energy for the same period. Similarly in Saudi Arabia, oil and gas accounted for 4.53% of the workforce, the highest globally, and renewables 0.08%. Despite the projected growth of 'green careers', LinkedIn research highlights the challenge of breaking into green jobs. Over 80% of workers transitioning into a green job need prior experience or green skills. Having a similar skillset – to one that is required in the new green role – is a significant factor in transitioning to a career in the renewable industry. In the UAE, some of the highest transitions to green jobs where no previous green experience was needed include energy specialist, safety manager, and geologist. The green transition is underway in the UAE and Saudi Arabia but the labor market is struggling to keep up. What factors do you believe are holding back the growth of employment in the renewable energy sector? What policies or initiatives could address this challenge? We asked sustainability experts to chime in. Check out what they said and join the conversation using #GreenerTogether Hani Tohme, Nadia Boumeziout, Majd Fayyad, Suhail Diaz Valderrama, Alex Malouf, Ghiwa Nakat, Nahla Nabil Sources: https://lnkd.in/gAniP4_m https://lnkd.in/ghWz-Zfs https://lnkd.in/d9KVTjte 

🌍 Two Climate News Stories This Week That Demand Our Attention 1️⃣ The Future of Jobs and Climate Trends: According to the latest Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum climate-change mitigation is the third-most transformative trend overall and the top trend related to the green transition. Climate-change adaptation follows closely, ranking sixth. Here’s what’s driving this shift: 📌 47% of employers expect climate-change mitigation to transform their businesses within the next five years. 📌 41% expect climate-change adaptation to play a key role. 📌 Demand is surging for green roles such as renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers, and electric/autonomous vehicle specialists, all of which are among the 15 fastest-growing jobs globally. 2️⃣ Global Temperatures Break Records: For the first time, the planet’s average global temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for an entire year, as confirmed by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. 📌 The average global temperature in 2024 was 1.6°C higher than in 1850-1900, the pre-industrial baseline. 📌 This milestone is a stark reminder of how rapidly the climate crisis is accelerating, pushing the planet into uncharted territory for modern humans. The demand for green jobs shows us the way forward: we have the tools and the workforce to address these challenges. But the rising global temperature and catastrophic events like the LA wildfires remind us of the cost of inaction. The future of jobs and the future of our planet are inseparable. Let’s work to scale green skills, promote innovation, and drive systemic change. Whether you're in policy, business, or education, this is the time to act. #ClimateAction #FutureOfJobs #Sustainability #GreenTransition #GreenerTogether

🌍 Green Jobs are Coming—Are We Ready? 🌱 As South Africa ramps up its renewable energy and climate goals, we're looking at the chance to create hundreds of thousands of green jobs over the next 25 years! But there’s a catch: we need a workforce ready for this shift. According to a new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and National Business Initiative, "Powering Futures: The Green Skilling Opportunity," South Africa could need over 200,000 skilled workers by 2030 to keep pace with the green economy. That’s huge! But it also means we need to act now to get people the skills they need to thrive in fields like solar, wind, green hydrogen, and electric vehicles. Key takeaways: 🔹 Inclusive Workforce Development: Skilling programs must reach marginalized communities, particularly youth and women, ensuring everyone can access sustainable job opportunities. This inclusivity is essential to make sure the transition is truly just and leaves no one behind. 🔹 Private Sector’s Critical Role: Companies can shape the future of skilling, providing training and career pathways for emerging industries like solar, wind, green hydrogen, and electric vehicles. By investing in upskilling and aligning business needs with workforce development, we can directly support economic growth and sustainable employment. 🔹 Ecosystem Approach: A shift towards agile, collaborative, place-based skilling systems is needed to respond quickly to market demands. This means strong partnerships between business, government, and educators to optimize funding, build institutional capacity, and create career pathways accessible through low-barrier technology. For South Africa to build a resilient, climate-ready workforce, every sector needs to come together with intention and urgency. If we do, we can unlock the potential of our people and ensure that a sustainable, equitable future is within reach. Kudos to Igor Lakic and team who did this work! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ei4SFqeu