Job Opportunities for Youth in Environmentally Friendly Economies

The European Commission highlighted job opportunities for youth and address the importance of improving skills and competences and digital transition during a webinar on “Job Opportunities for Youth in Environmentally Friendly Economies”, organised as part of the European Green Deal Campaign. The webinar took place on Friday, 11 September 2020 from 15:00 to 17:00 via Zoom and shared live on EU Infopoint Facebook page.

During the webinar Reka Soos, from Romania talked about emerging eco-friendly and digital job opportunities for youth in circular economies where recycling and reuse is a priority and the impact of the European Green Deal on jobs. Margaret Eleftheriou from Greece highlighted the importance of improving skills and competences and the European Skills Agenda while Rıfat Ünal Sayman from the Regional Environment Centre in Turkey drew attention to climate change and its implications on job opportunities as well as present good practices from EU member states.

 

In this time of transitions, the green and digital transitions are reshaping the way we live, work and interact. The EU’s move to a resource efficient, circular, digitised and climate neutral economy and the wide deployment of artificial intelligence and robotics are expected to create new jobs. While other jobs are predicted to change or even disappear.  Taking advantage of the emerging opportunities will only be possible if people develop the right skills.

 

Background:

 

The European Green Deal is the EU’s new growth strategy. It will help cut emissions while creating jobs. The European Green Deal is about improving the well-being of people. The EU will become climate neutral by 2050 - an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Reaching this target will require actions by all sectors of economy. The transition to a climate neutral society is both an urgent challenge and an opportunity to build a better future for all.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a profound impact on millions of people in the EU who have lost their job or experienced significant income loss. Many will need to acquire new skills and move to new jobs in a different sector of the economy. More will need to upskill to keep their job in a new work environment. For many young people, entry in the labour market will be very challenging. The new European Skills Agenda builds upon the ten actions of the Commission’s 2016 Skills Agenda. It also links to the European Digital Strategy, Industrial and Small and Medium Enterprise Strategy, Recovery Plan for Europe and increased support for youth employment.