5 green jobs with a better future
If we take into account the current outlook and future employment predictions developed by organizations such as the UN and the ILO, the future looks bleak. The causes are directly related to global warming and, in particular, to the current global production system.
In today's post, we are going to tell you about some of the green professions with the best future projections. Let's get started!
The effects of climate change on the workplace
According to The Conversation, "The International Labor Organization warns that the phenomenon is producing, in the short, medium or long term, a serious disruption of economic and social activity in many sectors on all continents."
Most sectors are undergoing variations due to climate change, as in the case of the energy sector, which is starting to move towards renewable energies. All these changes are moving in the same direction: the sustainability of the planet.
5 green jobs with a better future
Many countries have become aware of the negative impact of climate change on the labor market. That is why they are seeking to consolidate jobs that help combat global warming from different sectors, and thus find a multidisciplinary solution to the climate emergency.
1. Environmental engineering and environmental studies
In the search for green jobs, there is a great variety of jobs in everything related to environmental studies. Companies must meet environmental conservation requirements, have policies that manage natural resources, and other areas that must be covered by the new business structures of environmentally responsible production.
For this reason, the area of environmental engineering, or similar studies, is one of the great fields that is beginning to be built nowadays. Studying Environmental Engineering is a very good option for the future, both professionally and in terms of salaries, as well as to be part of the change towards sustainability.
According to Forbes magazine, the average salary of an environmental engineer is around 46,000 euros per year.
2. Renewable energy professionals
Renewable energies are a great alternative that is being used more and more in developed countries. For this reason, this sector generates a large number of green jobs with a wide range of positions. From engineers, technicians and installers to managers of renewable energy systems.
According to a 2018 study, there are already more than 10 million jobs globally in the renewable sector. Some of these positions include: Renewable energy degrees, solar energy technicians, wind energy technicians, research and development, ... According to SolarNews:
34% OF RENEWABLE ENERGY PROFESSIONALS EXPECT A SALARY INCREASE THIS YEAR
3. Sustainable architecture and construction
Like all the previous ones, the construction sector represents a new opportunity for sustainable employment. The rules that are being generated from now on for the constructions, go in line with a care and greater contribution to environmental conservation. Architecture, design, engineering and various branches are involved in the world of construction, and all of them are undergoing a green transformation.
From new building materials, to a better coexistence between architecture and the environment, these and many other advances are taking place in the world of construction. There are now buildings constructed entirely of mycelium and other natural alternatives. On the other hand, a new concept of taking advantage of the environment has come to stay in the new construction models: the Passive House. (In a few weeks we will make a post dedicated to it).
The average annual salary of an architect is 26,000 to 30,000 euros gross per year, being the demand for sustainable architects increasing and consequently with higher remuneration.
4. Sustainable agricultural development
Agriculture has already acquired new methods that allow it to be more environmentally friendly. This has led to the introduction of efficient and competitive practices that have a lower impact on the carbon footprint. In line with jobs against global warming, the training and participation of workers trained in new agricultural models will allow them to join the chain of jobs for the green future of the planet.
The research and implementation of new agricultural models is increasingly present in the working world of the sector. It is key to find sustainable production models by making a good management of the environment and existing resources.
There are currently masters in sustainable agriculture throughout Spain and internationally.
5. Sustainable and circular economy consulting
The future is being built in the present, so it is important to recognize that both consumption and production models are undergoing a major transformation. To keep up to date with all that is happening around the new proposals and methods of environmental care, as well as to advise companies that are starting on the road to the ecological transition, a sustainability consultant will be key.
He or she conducts research and uses environmental impact assessments to measure the carbon footprint, energy performance, etc. of organizations and institutions. He or she is in charge of designing more cost-effective and beneficial roadmaps to sustainability. Increasingly, companies will make use of the services of environmental consultants in order to keep up with and focus their services and products on new production models and new environmental legislation.
These new production models will be based on the circular economy, and so the consultants will design the strategies to be followed by the company. This allows not only extraction, use and disposal of a product, but it is committed to the fact that after use, the product will be reused or recycled, giving it extra value and extending the usefulness of the materials used. Understanding these dynamics and turning to trained professionals enables the change required for the future.
Join the fight!