A Climate Workforce
Climate change affects everything—countries, industries, communities, and individuals. As a result, jobs will change too. Some jobs that exist today will disappear—particularly those dependent on the fossil-fuel industry—and some jobs will grow. In 2023, clean energy jobs grew at twice the rate of other jobs. This trend is expected to continue as demand increases for positions like wind-turbine technicians and solar-panel installers. There will be growing demand for scientists, including hydrologists, soil and plant scientists, and atmospheric researchers. Other fields that may not seem so directly linked to climate change, like healthcare, may expand.
More nurses, epidemiologists, and public health officials will be needed to handle new health risks caused by climate change. Decades from now, people may have jobs that don’t even exist yet.
Clean energy jobs have grown rapidly in recent years, and that growth is likely to continue as demand for low-carbon energy grows in the future.
New jobs won’t be the only effect climate change has on employment: the skills and knowledge needed for existing jobs will change too. Every part of our society impacts and is impacted by climate change, and workers that can adapt and respond to those changes will be in high demand. For example, a real-estate developer—someone who buys land to build homes or businesses—will need to know which cities or neighborhoods might be facing rising sea levels. This knowledge will help them plan and build in ways that make sense for the future.
Many industries are already changing. Farmers, fishers, and tourism workers are struggling with extreme heat and shifting climates that make their jobs harder. Many in these industries will have to adapt by changing the way they work or using innovative technologies to help overcome climate impacts. Especially in small, rural communities that depend on local food, these changes aren’t just about jobs—they affect daily life and access to necessities.
Careers like farming are already facing significant challenges because of the impacts rising temperatures have on food systems.
Education will need to keep up with these shifts. More college departments are focused directly on subjects like environmental science and sustainable design. Traditional fields like teaching, farming, and engineering will still be important, but students in those fields will need to be trained with climate-change mitigation and adaptation in mind. Trade schools and vocational programs, especially in the energy and construction sectors, may also play a bigger role in helping both new graduates and experienced workers move into climate-related careers.
Climate change won’t just create new jobs—it may completely reshape the job market and education. No matter what career path you choose, it will likely be impacted by climate change.
What and how students learn will likely shift to better prepare workers for careers impacted by climate change.
About the author
Sierra Kirkpatrick Sierra Kirkpatrick is a member of the Climate Project editorial team. She focuses on making environmental science research available and accessible to all audiences. Sierra holds degrees in Molecular Environmental Biology and Sustainable Environmental Design from the University of California, Berkeley.
Image credits
This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0 except for the following:
Clean energy jobs have grown rapidly in recent years, and that growth is likely to continue as demand for low-carbon energy grows in the future. © janiecbros/Vetta/Getty Images.
Careers like farming are already facing significant challenges because of the impacts rising temperatures have on food systems. © SetsukoN/Creatas Video/Getty Images.
What and how students learn will likely shift to better prepare workers for careers impacted by climate change. © SolStock/Creatas Video/Getty Images.
Articles leveled by Newsela have been adjusted along several dimensions of text complexity including sentence structure, vocabulary and organization. The number followed by L indicates the Lexile measure of the article. For more information on Lexile measures and how they correspond to grade levels: www.lexile.com/educators/understanding-lexile-measures/
To learn more about Newsela, visit www.newsela.com/about.
The Lexile® Framework for Reading evaluates reading ability and text complexity on the same developmental scale. Unlike other measurement systems, the Lexile Framework determines reading ability based on actual assessments, rather than generalized age or grade levels. Recognized as the standard for matching readers with texts, tens of millions of students worldwide receive a Lexile measure that helps them find targeted readings from the more than 100 million articles, books and websites that have been measured. Lexile measures connect learners of all ages with resources at the right level of challenge and monitors their progress toward state and national proficiency standards. More information about the Lexile® Framework can be found at www.Lexile.com.