IEMA launches a campaign urging global leaders to prioritise the development of green education, skills and jobs at the upcoming COP16 Biodiversity Summit and COP29 Climate Summit.
A broad coalition of businesses and not-for-profit organisations – including RSPB, SUEZ, The Wildlife Trusts and the British Chambers of Commerce – have mobilised to back IEMA’s #GreenSkillsAtCOP campaign urging global leaders to prioritise the development of green skills at the upcoming COP16 Biodiversity Summit and COP29 Climate Summit.
The campaign underscores that there is a critical gap in the global response to these environmental challenges and without investment in the right education, skills, and training, many countries will call short in their efforts to reverse the loss of biodiversity and achieve carbon emissions targets.
What is the #GreenSkillsAtCOP campaign?
The #GreenSkillsAtCOP campaign advocates for negotiations at COP16 and COP29 to recognise the crucial role that green skills play in tackling the global climate change and biodiversity crises.
The campaign is supported by a range of environment and sustainability leaders that have recorded videos calling for #GreenSkillsAtCOP.We are asking businesses and not-for-profit organisations, IEMA members and the wider community to sign up to the campaign in order to gain a critical mass of support before we engage with both the COP presidents and the UK Government Ministers with responsibility for COP negotiations in advance of both summits, urging them to support and champion our campaign.
Why are Green Skills important?
Green skills refer to the technical knowledge, behaviours, and capabilities required to tackle environmental challenges and promote sustainability across all sectors.
Climate and environmental targets are an economy-wide challenge. Our ambition should be to make “all jobs greener”, by weaving green competencies throughout the global workforce.
To make this transition inclusive, it’s essential that green skills and jobs are accessible to all, promoting diversity and equal opportunities within the workforce.
Why focus on the COP Summits?
In 2023, IEMA began its advocacy on the importance of green education, skills, and training at the COP28 climate summit.
Now IEMA is intensifying its efforts ahead of the COP16 Biodiversity Summit in Colombia and the COP29 Climate Summit in Azerbaijan in October and November, where countries will be required to develop or update their National Action Plans.
These plans set out how countries will deliver positive outcomes for nature and tackle climate change; including setting targets, putting place policies and measures, securing and allocating investment.
We are advocating that a vital aspect in delivering these action plans is investing in and developing green education, skills and training.
Join us – as an individual or an organisation – to ensure global leaders prioritise green skills and create a sustainable future.
This is a guest blog for the Green Careers Hub by IEMA. Image credit: Shutterstock.
