The Green Edge Reports Roundup, June-23: Part One - General
Continuing with our selection of reports and other publications from this month’s reading list.
Our reading list was so long this month that we had to split it into two posts. This one covers general categories. For Sectors, see Part Two.
As usual, you can find all thes reports and more in our searchable reports list on The Green Edge Data Portal.
Skills and Employment/Workforce
A Net Zero Workforce and Skills and Net Zero
The Climate Change Committee, May 2023
Link - Net Zero Workforce / Link - Skills and Net Zero
Two great additions to our understanding of the development of both the wider net zero workforce and the skills system. Taking the Net Zero Workforce report first, we’re left with the distinct thought that the UK is going to have to make a series of difficult choices on net zero driven by workforce capacity. The second report, focusing on skills, again leaves us with the concern that the skills system across the UK is not in a state of readiness to be able to respond to potentially rapid changes in the level of demand. Having some form of stress testing of the skills system would be useful to see where the real strengths and weaknesses are, and how they will be able to support the delivery of the required skills. Let’s hope both reports will be built upon by the Green Jobs Delivery Group and its sponsoring Government Departments over the coming months.
Engineering Skills Needs – Now and into the future
Engineering UK with Lightcast, May 2023
Leaving aside the excellent infographics for specific parts of the engineering sector, our interest here is Chapter 6 and the deep dive into green skills using the Lightcast data, which has 370 job titles classified as ‘green’ and 230 green skills. It is clear from the job postings data used that engineering is becoming greener - during 2022, there were 23,000 engineering postings for green roles and a further 212,000 requiring green skills. It surprised us that energy doesn’t get a mention here in a much bigger way, though, given the role engineering is playing in building future generating capacity, the whole energy distribution and transmission system, and, of course, storage. The next iteration of the report could perhaps focus on the green economy, and delve into the multiple sectors going through major transition (like transport in all its forms), and specific geographies too (like the major energy hubs focused on CCUS and hydrogen).
Global Green Skills Report 2023
LinkedIn and Economic Graph, June 2023
An annual report using LinkedIn data with a useful set of headline messages: only one in eight workers has one or more green skills; between 2022 and 2023, the share of green talent in the workforce rose by a median of 12.3% while the share of job postings requiring at least one green skills grew twice as quickly – by a median of 22.4%; and from 2015 to 2023, employment in the renewable energy industry grew in every country studied where for every 100 workers leaving the global renewable energy sector, 120 workers joined. The charts are powerful too. The UK version of the analysis should be available soon. Well worth a read.
Growing Green. How vocational education and training can drive the green transition in agri-food
Cedefop Policy Brief, March 2023
This succinct brief is really helpful and we suggest you at least look at two figures: No 4 – future skills needs in the agri-food sector, which splits down the “new” skills into five areas of technical, transversal, digital, sector-specific, and soft skills; and No 5 – difficulty in finding skills, an expert assessment which lists 24 sets of skills with technical and data skills being the most difficult to fill. There is also an analysis of the occupational shift that is occurring in agri-food, which shows a growth in professionals, technicians and associate professionals, craft and related trades, and plant and machine operators and assemblers. It is worth looking at the wider Cedefop work in this area.
From linear thinking to green growth industries. Vocational education and training and skills as springboards for the circular economy
Cedefop Policy Brief, 2023
An excellent introduction to the circular economy, demonstrating the distance we have to move from where we are today. Takes us beyond the focus on net zero, and into a wider view of how economies need to operate across the whole, looped (circular) economy. A major challenge and also a major opportunity as CIWEM work shows.
How to increase the appeal of green skills and training
Nesta and Behavioural Insights Team, June 2023
Based on two large surveys (4,000 each), one of adults in the workforce and the other having just graduated from school (A/T Levels) and university (undergraduates). Several key messages come from this piece of excellent work: financial incentives, convenience of training (including mixed training times and formats), careers advice and guidance. Hopefully a few learnings here for the DfE and for FE Colleges.
Green Finance Skills: The Guide
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), March 2023
A really interesting study (and what is becoming typical of the professional bodies) clearly positions green finance skills as a core capability for accountants. Draws on international work (quoting Singapore) and defines the 12 technical skills and competences of green finance skills (1-8 apply to all financial roles and 9-12 apply to financial services). It strikes us that there is a lot of transferable material here that can be used in any wider sustainability knowledge and skills development programmes: perhaps, a national repository of these materials to speed-up curriculum development and to reduce duplication.
State of the Nation: Building Green and Sustainable Finance Capacity and Capability in UK Financial Services
Chartered Body Alliance (Chartered Insurance Institute, Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, and Chartered Banker Institute), March 2023
Several items in this timely report strike us immediately: only 8% of organisations surveyed thought themselves as prepared as regards green finance and sustainability, and the vital role of chartered (professional) bodies and accreditation in driving standards. Also, we found the knowledge and skills listing (pages 16-17) useful. The wider grouping of bodies under the Green Finance Education Charter banner is important in sharing expertise, ensuring common standards, and providing the beginnings of framework for skills, knowledge and career development.
Effects of Renewable Energy Provision of the Inflation Reduction Act on Technology, Costs, Materials and Labor
Working Paper Princeton University, June 2023
Turn to Figure 10 where the analysis looks at employment generation with and without IRA for solar and for wind, and then flexes the totals by the level of local content. Taking solar, the jobs totals could hit 4.5mn by 2035, split between construction and operation (1.9mn) and component manufacturing (2.6mn). There is a clear message here for any UK response to the IRA act and its impact. What isn’t clear in the employment figures, though, is the level of exports achieved on the back of the growth.
Effective approaches to address skills and capabilities needs: Workshop: Science, Technology and Innovation System in Transition
Department for Science, Innovation and technology; OECD; UKRI; Innovate UK and the Digital Catapult, April 2023
This workshop summary has one main message for us: the need to take a system-wide approach to thinking through the development of skills to meet not only the digital transition, but the green one too. So, rather than look at single actors in the skills system like FE and Universities, we need to view them as partners working in detailed co-operation to derive place-based solutions. This view is a key principle of socio-technical systems thinking where you seek to locate decision making as low down a structure (organisation) to resolve problems at source, and is the basis of the call for greater devolution across the UK on skills development.
Resourcing the Planning Service: Key Trends and Findings 2022
Royal Town Planning Institute Scotland, December 2022
Simple message: the planning service has been run down over the last decade and more, and it is one part of the critical local infrastructure to support investment in green (and other) investments, ranging from solar and wind farms to building upgrades, conservations, and retrofitting. Planning is also critical to thinking through and designing active transport systems, low traffic neighbourhoods etc.
The Energy Transition and Jobs. Can people transition to new green jobs?
PwC, August 2022
A few well-researched findings: employment growth to the early 2030, high skills transferability across the whole energy sector but there are challenges to the principle of a just transition, and the need for reskilling. A useful source document for anyone wanting to construct employment accounts for the net zero transition for a sector.
Net Zero America. Potential pathways, infrastructure, and impacts
Princeton University, Oct 2021
Takes 5 scenarios to view net zero in the USA, looking into the energy workforce and the net zero/fossil fuel transition employment changes by energy type and at State level (page 61). What really struck us were the mismatches that emerge at State level, and the need for transition (resettlement) employment and place-based support. Going green has a distinct geographic pattern and raises the need for specific place-based adjustment mechanisms.
Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act) SWD (2023) 219 final
European Commission, June 2023
A dry sounding title, but dig inside and there are more than a hundred references to skills. Contains a wealth of detail along with Annex 3 and useful listing of key green skills projects taking place across the EU, such as the GreenoVet Project
Levelling Up / Regional Development
Enabling Place-Based Climate Action in the UK. The PCAN Experience.
Place-Based Climate Action Network, June 2023
We’re firm supporters of devolution as a key component to achieving net zero and we find here ample evidence of progress - but progress which could be greater with even more central support and investment. While skills get a few mentions, there’s a wider skills issue here: the skills to create partnerships, convene parties, form joint agendas, and to deliver on commitments. There is clearly a need for skills development programmes for local government and partners to undertake probably in an action-research and socio-technical dual approach.
The Cluster Effect. Why the UK needs a place-based green industrial strategy.
Green Alliance, June 2023
Points to the developing regional green clusters in Scotland, Eastern England, Solent, and South-West, and their importance both for net zero and wider economic growth. These are captured very well in an infographic/map (page 17) and the possible range of policy options are summarised (page 34). Education and training are highlighted and being crucial supply side interventions. The recent first-phase Local Skills Improvement Plans should capture these clusters powering their local economies.
Power in Place. Evidence-led solutions for thriving and sustainable communities.
University of Manchester, May 2023
Towards the end of this report, we find skills and re-skilling getting a good mention, and it makes a few important points for progress to be made on skills at a local level: greater co-ordination, greater integration, less contested funding. Reinforces what has been said repeatedly by UK100 and its members: we need to invest more in building capacity and capability at local level in order to make progress of devolved powers and investment.
Exploring the Investment Potential of Midland Clusters: Overview Report
Midlands Engine Partnership with The Data City, Beauhurst, Wavteq, CBI Economics and the Midlands Engine Observatory, May 2023
A sophisticated piece of work which combines a view of specific, individual sectors, groups them into sectors after categorisation (super clusters, established clusters, new economy clusters) and looks at their potential based on the intersection of four key ecosystem components: investment, business, innovation, and talent. When we dig beyond the headline super clusters we find the “green” ones, like circular economy, offshore wind, nuclear, modern and low carbon utilities, and net zero transport technologies. This approach helps to understand how the sub-sectors of the green economy might emerge in some regions rather than others. It would be good to see the LSIPs linked to the approach used in this report.
Cities in Transition. How vocational education and training can help cities become smarter and greener
Cedefop Policy Brief, 2022
We can see this short document being well used by city regions and smaller towns in communicating their thinking and plans of skills. In particular the infographic (Fig 2) which covers how the main occupations driving change in smarter and greener cities can be added to and modified to meet local circumstances.
Viking CCS: Transforming the Humber into a Net Zero SuperPlace
Viking CCS and Harbour Energy, March 2023
Shows the potential impact of the largest CCS project (one of the eight across the UK) in the Humber region: 10,000 new jobs and 4,000 permanent jobs. Has the potential to drive significant change in the local economy and to support the adjustment of many local businesses.
Breathe. Tackling the Climate Emergency
Sadiq Khan, Hutchinson/Heinemann, May 2023
A readable book covering the whole campaign and progress towards cleaning the air across London, touching on the Green New Deal and its focus on jobs, employment, and equity (pages 142-145). There is a simple clear message here: local power, local commitment, and local momentum has a key role to play in developing workable solutions to achieve net zero, and this can be managed fairly through local, democratic bodies and their ability to convene stakeholders and create joint agendas. We also get a small insight into the collaborative nature of the effort through local bodies (UK100 gets a good mention) and international sharing across cities (C40 group of global cities).
Planning for Net Zero and Nature: A better, greener planning system that empowers local places
Institute of Public Policy Research, June 2023
There’s undoubtedly a need to reform our planning system to align and support net zero and nature, but our take on this report (and the general planning area) is the highlighting of the power of planning to boost our chances of progressing towards net zero, and the importance of skills. Let’s see how the various Government departments along with RTPI respond to this report.
Can co-creation support local heat decarbonisation strategies? Insights from pilot projects in Bruges and Mechelen.
Energy Research and Social Science, May 2023
While these two pilots throw up a few issues, they do demonstrate the value and power of locally-managed projects for decarbonisation and the joint development and sharing of skills across stakeholders.
Sustainability
Net Zero Stocktake 2023
Net Zero Tracker, New Climate Institute, Oxford Net Zero, Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, and the Data-Driven EnviroLab, June 2023
Our interest in this type of excellent tracking report is the drop from commitment by corporations (or nations) to net zero, down into their detailed plans and workforce implications, and thence into skills. Hopefully, future stock takes will start to unpeel the workforce and skills aspects of net zero delivery.
Deloitte 2023 CxO Sustainability Report: Accelerating the Green Transition
Deloitte: Jan 2023
Sets things into context in the corporate world through drawing data from 2000+ senior executives across 24 countries. Clear messages: high concern, high awareness, and action is progressing, We note that 50% of respondent businesses have already engaged in at least preparatory education and training on climate change and sustainability.
Annual Report 2021: Together, we can change the world
Foundation for Environmental Education, 2022
Our interest here is the FEE’s schools programme and looking at its scale of development. It now engages with 1.4mn teachers, 20mn students, 72 countries, and 59,000 schools. What others might find useful here are the resources FEE have developed, such as its Curriculum Framework for Advancing Circular Economy. Could be useful for all schools as they seek to adjust their curricula over the next few years.
Labour Market
Voc Tech Challenge: Skills for an Economy in Transition – Green Paper.
Voc Tech Trust and Learning and Work Institute, April 2023
Raises several key questions as a part of its consultation, but for us it makes a critical point: there are multiple transitions impacting the labour market at the same time. Focusing on just one - net zero, say - can blind you to others like digital, automation, and changing trading relationships. The content of green jobs is being changed by taking on increasing numbers of new and emerging green skills and tasks focusing on green outputs. But these are being enabled - and are dependent on - digital and automation changes to work content. This view has profound implications for education seeking to provide the pillars on which to build future lives and careers, saying we all need to have a sustainable pillar alongside those for numeracy, literacy, oracy, computational thinking, and others. A white Paper is now out (June 2023) which lays out the next steps.
The Feasibility of Using Online Job Advertisements in Analysing Unmet EU Demand
Cedefop Working Paper, May 2023
This technical note uses six approaches to exploring the use of online job adverts to examine the tightness of the EU labour market, showing the value and granularity of the data. It would be good to see the use of these data to explore new and emerging green roles, and the role of migration in filling positions.
Trading-Up. The role of the post-Brexit trade approach in the UK’s economic strategy.
Resolution Foundation – The Economy 2030 Inquiry, June 2023
Two things struck us when reading this report. First, the scale of the USA and EU interventions on net zero will severely challenge the UK’s ability to attract investment. Second, the successful services-based sectors, which are highly skilled, could well out-compete the net zero industries for talent. The developing net zero workforce plan and strategy, overseen by the Green Jobs Delivery Group and due next year, will have to address these tensions for the UK.
Setting Europe on Course for a Human Digital Transition. New Evidence from Cedefop’s Second European Skills and Jobs Survey.
Cedefop, 2022
Does Digital have learning to share with us which might shape how greening might take place? Digital technology is widely spread but relatively few jobs are digitally intensive (about 8-9%). Around 60% of job holders need to improve their digital competence, multiple skills-mismatches being highlighted. Perhaps a combined green-digital survey should be organised to do a simple mapping, perhaps against ESCO data?
CIPD Good Work Index 2023
CIPD, June 2023
An update of the CIPD’s annual good work index, pointing to the need to reform the apprenticeship levy - these calls must have registered by now with the UK Government - and the use of job design. The latter is an HR tool which is certainly needed when multiple transitions (see above) are taking place across the workforce. Two thoughts: the green transition is generally thought to be improving the quality of work, and the pandemic accelerated work-based changes should be leaving long term improvement in work-life balance. Let’s see if this proves to be true in following years.
Monitoring the employment impact of mayoral programmes and initiatives
GLA Economics, May 2023
A useful view across the London labour market since 2016. It can’t be too long before green jobs are placed within the scope of this work, showing how the labour market is greening. Perhaps in the next edition?
Fostering skills use for sustained business performance: Evidence from the European Company Survey
Cedefop, 2023
Uses the AMO (ability, motivation and opportunity) model. Sadly, sustainability and green skills don’t get raised here. Perhaps in the next survey.
Digital Transformations: The five talent factors that matter most.
McKinsey and Co., December 2022
As we read these excellent short notes from McKinsey, we’re thinking we could replace ‘digital’ for ‘green’ in many cases. It’s rare to find a role which is made up of just one type of skill like green and digital. Instead, they’re amalgams of skills that flex over time. We need to see the current greening of occupations and skills as part of multiple transitions across the economy and the labour market.
Generative AI at Work
NBER Working Paper, April 2023
A pioneering piece of research looking at the productivity impact of generative AI. We need to see this type of research done on AI and green work: how it will help move us towards net zero and what the impacts will be on job quality. A related paper from MIT is also worth reading. How AI can be fully developed to assist in reaching net zero is not currently clear, but it will feature in areas like grid management, carbon emissions accounting and monitoring.
European Guidelines for Validating Non-Formal and Informal Learning (Third edition)
Cedefop, May 2023
A timely update to the guidelines (first edition was in 2009) as the transition to net zero will require a significant amount validating prior learning of all types to assist in individuals taking on new skills and new roles.
Quality of Work of Canada’s Contingent Workforce
Future Skills Centre, May 2023
A fascinating piece of work in which green jobs and skills don’t feature. Why not? Surely the gig economy, which is innately skills focused, must have a role to play in the transition to net zero. Perhaps something that can be covered in their next survey.
OECD Skills Strategy Ireland: Assessment and Recommendations
OECD, May 2023
A lengthy and detailed piece of work with the recommendations and priorities summarised neatly in Figure 1.6 (just one page). Our wider takeaway is the approach and framework used here, which methodically works its way through the issues. It also almost never talks just about the green transition without linking it directly to the digital one. We see this linking of the two transitions as being important in the sense that developing green skills policy must be part of a wider skills policy and system, and the labour market in which it is operating.
Vision for a Sheffield Policy Campus: A Civil Service Impact Plan for Sheffield and the South Yorkshire Region
Civil Service and Sheffield Policy Campus, June 2023
It’s a small step from this impact study and plan for high-quality public-sector jobs to one which also covers net zero and green jobs. The State is a major employer and can influence the uptake and development of skills of all types – including green and sustainability skills – and it would be a step forward if all analyses adopted at least some green and net zero perspective.