Green skills for youth: Towards a sustainable world

On 12 August, the world will observe International Youth Day. This day celebrates the contributions, ideas, energy and creativity of young people to foster positive change, not only for themselves, but also for their communities and the rest of the world. This year, on International Youth Day, UN DESA is highlighting the importance of green skills in building back better towards a more sustainable future.

Accelerating the shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world is critical not only for responding to the global climate crisis but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the minds of young people across the globe, a successful transition towards a greener world depends on the development of green skills, which are “knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society”.

The pursuit of a greener and more just future requires urgent action. In a recent press conference, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that “It’s time to wake up and step up. It’s time to rebuild trust based on climate justice.  It’s time to accelerate the just transition to a green economy.”

Youth green skills are essential to a successful transition to the green economy. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), a green transition will result in the creation of 8.4 million jobs for young people by 2030. However, if current trends persist, by 2030 more than 60 percent of young people may lack the skills required to thrive in the green economy.

Young people need to be well-equipped with green skills so that they can better contribute to the transition to a greener future and successfully navigate this changing environment in the world of both work and life. Alarmingly, the necessary investment in skills development has been underestimated in the context of national commitments to implement major international climate agreements. Young people want to – and need to – act as catalytic agents in building a greener future. For that to happen, green skills need to be at the core of young people’s education, employment and everyday lives. This is why DESA elected to celebrate the 2023 International Youth Day under the theme “Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World”. 

On International Youth Day 2023, UN DESA and its partners will offer a webinar gathering experts of all ages who will offer critical information and discussions on green skills for youth. Other tools such as a fact sheet and digital cards will be developed to share key insights into the theme and support stakeholders to celebrate International Youth Day 2023 in their various contexts and roles.

For more information about International Youth Day, please visit this website and follow @UNDESA, @UNDESASocial and @UN4Youth on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Photo Credit: UN Photo/Logan Abas