How Green Skills Can Drive Sustainability
Shafa Fakhira
Graduating from schools, universities, any academic institution, and even non-formal institutions will help you gain various skills to survive in society. But do you think that is enough?
Here is my opinion about the importance of green skills, especially for young people to create a sustainable future.
Let me introduce you to a term called “green skills.” Have you heard about it? Basically, green skills are the knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society. In today’s world, where countries are trying to adopt the-17 goals of SDGS, they need to ensure progress in transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
Why is this important?
Well, do you know our mother earth is suffering from climate change? A report from the European Union-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service confirms that July 2023 was said to be the hottest month ever recorded in human history. The previous hottest month on record was July 2019. United Nations Secretary, Antonio Guterres even said that Earth has passed from a warming phase into an “era of global boiling”.
It is terrifying to realize there’s no planet B for us. Here is a wake-up call for us, young people, to start taking action. We need to do more than mastering skills. It requires a swift mindset along with skills that the future needs.
A report from a global database stated that the number of jobs with “sustainability” is reaching 177,000 in 2021. The opportunity expands for all sectors, such as renewable energy and environment, fashion, finance, etc. It shows a growing demand for professionals with green skills in various industries. For instance, experts predict that shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will lead to an overall rise in global job opportunities within the energy industry.
Technology is advancing rapidly, and it offers exciting opportunities to create a more sustainable world. Check out this pie chart of greenhouse gasses—we notice that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industrial processes contribute the largest share at 65%. Sadly, fossil fuels are everywhere in our lives, powering our cars, heating our homes, and generating electricity. But imagine a future where all regular cars are swapped for eco-friendly electric ones! However, making it happen requires a skilled workforce that not only possesses technical expertise, but also demonstrates a keen awareness of the environmental implications.
Where did you get these skills?
If you think your school doesn’t provide you with the skills I mentioned before, no worries; there are a lot of learning opportunities out there. It’s your chance to dig deeper into our courses here on the learning platform. Gain new skills from incredible youths all over the world with free access. You can choose whatever you’d like to try, from masterclasses, workshops, mentorships, and live conversations. There are several topics that might catch your attention like rethinking and redesigning packaging, permaculture, community building, public speaking and many more. You will also get a completion certificate after you finish your course especially for masterclasses and certain workshops. What’s more interesting is you will be able to access the content whenever you want because we provide you lifetime access to the content!
On a final note, with the perfect skill set in hand, we can confidently embrace the future while keeping it green and sustainable. The future is yours to shape, and YOUTHTOPIA is here to support you every step of the way!