Do you have any green mechatronics people on your payroll? Not yet? How about an environmental accountant? Or an agroecology technician? A sustainable materials advisor? You may be searching for these skills sooner than you might imagine. They are only a few of the new professional and technical competencies employers will need, as Canada pivots towards a low-carbon economy.
According to a recent Clean Energy Canada report, cutting economy-wide carbon emissions will create a boom in green jobs. Employment in the clean energy and the clean technology sectors will increase 50% over the next nine years.
The Federal government has targeted the reduction of CO₂ emissions that come from burning fossil fuels. CO₂ traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere and is changing the climate. Strong policies to achieve Canada’s carbon reduction targets will set the economy on a new course.
Clean Energy Canada predicts that as many as 640,000 Canadians will be working in the green economy by 2030, compared to 430,000 today. The increase in green jobs will more than outstrip the 9% loss in fossil fuel sector jobs predicted in their report.
The green economy shift has strong momentum outside of Canada’s borders. Carbon emissions must go down 7.6% each and every year until 2030 if the world is to successfully limit average global warming to 1.5 °C. That effort would create 24 million jobs worldwide.
Strong market measures to implement Canada’s Climate Plan will drive major investments into low-carbon emitting technologies, renewable energy systems and more efficient energy use. This transition will alter the ways many Canadians earn their livelihoods.
A lot of Canadians are already earning incomes in the green economy. For example, constructing energy efficient buildings, producing clean drinking water, installing solar arrays, growing food sustainably or operating transit fleets are “green” economic activities that support desired environmental outcomes.
Clean Energy Canada says over 400,000 Canadians are employed in the green economy – more people than work in Canada’s real estate industry.
Canadian companies in every sector are making low-carbon choices to remain competitive: from converting assembly lines for electric vehicle production to making hydrogen transportation fuel; from issuing sustainably linked loans, to cutting energy waste from plant operations. The green trend bends up.
Employees in traditional maintenance, operations, accounting, engineering, and purchasing roles will need to pivot as the world embraces a low-carbon future. Business success will
increasingly depend on having a holistic energy strategy and the people on board to deliver it. Standard business practice will soon integrate energy, carbon and environmental requirements into traditional workplace roles.
360 Energy has been in the forefront of the green economy for 25 years. We’ve grown up in it and nurtured it. We provide experienced, independent advice to help organizations flourish in the green economy. 360 Energy has become a trusted business advisor to decades of clients, enabling them to manage energy wisely for competitive advantage.
