While India strives to support green jobs, the Global Green Skills Report highlights India’s challenges in aligning its blue- and white-collar workforces with the rapidly evolving green job landscape
A low-carbon economy and green jobs are central to the world's pursuit of a sustainable future. In this pivotal transition, India, a nation endowed with abundant natural resources and a booming population, takes centre stage.
With the Indian government setting ambitious targets, including a 45 percent reduction in CO2 emissions intensity by 2030 and a net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2070, the nation aims to meet 50 percent of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030. But the question remains: Can India's workforce meet these green ambitions?
The government plans to create 3.4 million new job opportunities by 2030 to reach 500 gigawatts from renewables. This expansion could potentially generate up to 35 million green jobs by 2047, highlighting the significance of the transition to a green economy. In India, the surge in green jobs is predominantly driven by the following sectors, resulting in a variety of roles:
Renewable energy
Roles include structural design technician under R&D, production operator, computer-controlled machine tool operator, etc. under manufacturing, site surveyor under planning, and skilled technicians for construction and commissioning, as well as for operations and maintenance.
Waste management
With a growing focus on e-waste and wastewater management, positions such as plant operators and technicians, machine operators, supervisors, and dismantlers are on the rise.
Electric vehicle ecosystem
India's push towards electric mobility will lead to jobs in R&D, manufacturing, assembly, after-sales services like sales and customer support, EV servicing, and battery and charging infrastructure installations.
Green construction
With the emphasis on sustainable construction materials and efficient waste management, new job roles emerge in material handling, procurement, and waste sorting.
It is apparent that some entirely new net-zero jobs will emerge, largely in technology manufacturing and delivery in the field. For instance, the green hydrogen industry will demand fuel cell designers, hazardous materials management specialists, etc. Such jobs will require specialist skills, training, and education.
At the same time, it’s interesting to note that many of the office-oriented green jobs, such as project managers, engineers, scientific workers, etc., already exist in the Indian economy. In fact, research from the Deloitte Economic Institute underscores that the skills required for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 are largely existent, implying that most current workers may only need to upskill rather than undergo complete retraining.
To address the technical demand for green skills, the Indian government has established the Skills Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ), focusing on industry-aligned skills in renewable energy, environment, forest, climate change, and sustainable development. In FY22, 100,000 individuals were trained in renewable energy, with a target of one million by 2030.
The council also aims to train two million people through virtual or blended upskilling and reskilling across all sectors. SCGJ is also integrating vocational education into green business sectors in schools, universities, and higher education institutions, aligning with India's National Education Policy 2020.
Additionally, some states, like Karnataka, have fostered collaborations with industry to build a future-ready skilled workforce. So far, they have initiated modernising Industrial Training Institutes, created centres of excellence, and supported local start-ups with global industry partners.
While India strives to support green jobs, the Global Green Skills Report highlights India’s challenges in aligning its blue- and white-collar workforces with the rapidly evolving green job landscape. While climate policy analysis and standards development display relatively stronger green skills, areas like environmental management, supply chain efficiency, ESG governance, and reporting suffer from a significant skill gap.
In conclusion, India is on the brink of a green job revolution and is uniquely positioned to lead the global transition to net zero. India’s commitment to sustainability, coupled with its abundant resources and its vast pool of engineering and technical talent, presents a tangible opportunity for our workforce to mitigate climate risk.
India’s efforts in developing a systematic approach towards incorporating green skills into its education and training systems are closing the green skill gap. With sustained investment, upskilling initiatives, and innovative education, our workforce will indeed be fully equipped to embrace these green opportunities and lead this revolution in the global arena.
( Peeyush Arya is a Partner at Deloitte India and Smruti Manjunath is a senior consultant at Deloitte India.)