On the second day of the Egypt International Cooperation Forum (Egypt-ICF), a workshop titled “A Green Economy-Ready Labor Market,” was held to discuss the job creation potential of the green economy as the demand for green talent is rapidly growing.
During the workshop, Minister of Environmental Affairs in South Africa, Barbara Creecy, said that South Africa noted that there are a number of industries that are at risk as a result of the green transformation, particularly the cement and automobile industry.
She underscored that workers most affected by the green transformation should be provided with a fair share of benefits in order to design an equitable and inclusive economy.
Meanwhile, Barbara Rambousek, Director of Gender and Economic Inclusion at EBRD, said that the Egypt Country Platform for NWFE (Nexus of Food, Water and Energy) provides a model for other countries in supporting industries that require upskilling and green job opportunities, helping workers to adapt to the changes happening in the labor market.
For her part, International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Deputy Director General for Management and Reform, Amy Pope, called for action on reskilling and upskilling by investing in workforce training and national training programs.
“There must be a comprehensive strategy that develops solutions for all communities affected by the green transition,” she added.
This year’s Egypt-ICF and the Meeting of African Ministers of Economy, Finance and Environment, provides a platform for governments, multilateral and bilateral development partners, philanthropic foundations, private sector, think tanks, and civil society to consider the challenges the continent is offset by and explore avenues to overcome them.
The Forum’s overall objectives include: mobilization of, and acess to finance, to mobilize financing and catalyze private sector investments, focused on developing countries and Africa; financing climate action, adaptation and mitigation to leverage the necessary public and private support to accelerate climate action; and providing a timely platform to explore needed national actions that would help progress towards a just and green transition.