Introduction

According to the Nordic vision for 2030 (Nordic Council of Ministers, 2022),

Nordic Council of Ministers, 2022. Our Vision 2030.

the region in its diversity – comprising Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland – aims to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. To achieve this, it will need to be (at least) three things: green, competitive, and socially sustainable. This means changing not only how we live, produce, and consume, but also how we work and what we learn (Høst, J. et al., 2020).

Høst, J., Lauritzen, F., and Popp, S., 2020. A socially sustainable green transition in the Nordic Region: An analysis of the inequality-creating effects of the green transition and the opportunities to promote a socially sustainable green transition. Nordic Council of Ministers.

Although there are still many unknowns, and countries, communities, sectors, and individuals are learning as they go, the green transition is likely to increase employment opportunities. Estimates signal that green jobs are in demand in all countries in the Nordic Region. At the same time, given the varying definitions, views, and approaches to green jobs – and the spectrum of green jobs – strengthening the knowledge and looking closer at definitions is key, as Nordic countries are striving to restructure labour markets towards becoming green, greener, and the greenest.

Ensuring environmentally sustainable economies and societies requires a transition that is more than green: it must also be a just transition for women and men in all their diversity. There is increasing scientific consensus on the gendered effects of climate change globally and how climate change exacerbates pre-existing gender inequalities at work (ILO, 2022).

ILO, 2022. Just Transition Policy Brief: Gender equality, labour and a just transition for all.

In the Nordic Region, however, the links between gender and climate policy responses have not been well-documented nor shared with the relevant stakeholders (Lander Svendsen, N., et al., 2022).

Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K., Factor, G., Engelsbak, L.W., and Fischer-Bogason, R., 2022. How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries. Nordic Council of Ministers.

At the same time, gender equality is key to a successful green shift. Without sufficient gender analysis and action that addresses not only structural barriers such as occupational gender segregation but also cultural barriers, many will not be able to play their rightful roles in this important labour market shift (Rustad, L.M., 2021).

Rustad, L.M., 2021 (21 October). Gender equality is essential for the green shift. Kilden.

This think piece – a collaboration between the Nordic Council of Ministers and the International Labour Organization (ILO) – aims to stir up reflection, while calling for a systematic and continual building of the knowledge base green jobs and gendered implications. Divided into five sections, it looks to explore what green jobs actually are in the Nordic context, and, using the latest comparative figures available, gives an overview of who could be ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ in the green jobs race. Building on existing evidence and research from the Nordic Region and beyond, it discusses some of the gender barriers to green jobs and looks at the green and sustainable skills needed today, tomorrow, and the day after. As green jobs are only part of the solution, the think piece also promotes changing gendered behaviours, norms, and habits as essential for success. In addition to case studies from a range of countries, this piece consolidates some suggestions and lessons learned from the Nordic countries and other parts of the world – for the road ahead.

Headline messages

A variety of approaches to define and measure green jobs exist, also across the Nordic Region, with countries, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and organisations using different classifications. Few analyses have been able to give estimates disaggregated not only by sex but also by geographical location.
Green jobs are seen as a key solution for meeting environmental goals, with new jobs being created and many more being transformed. Green jobs, however, have to do more than just fulfil climate goals: they must also be socially sustainable and decent jobs.
The latest figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that almost 25 per cent of Nordic workers are in what is today considered a green job, which is higher than the OECD average.
Only slightly more than 30 per cent of all Nordic workers in green jobs are women, however, as these jobs are most often in historically male-dominated sectors.
As the green transition gathers momentum, men will most likely be the most affected by the disappearance or transformation of polluting jobs, which are held by an average of 11.7 per cent of workers in the Nordic Region.
There are several barriers to women’s equal participation in the green economy, such as occupational gender segregation, which may be perpetuated or widened with the expansion of a greener labour market. Cultural and societal norms, a lack of gender-sensitive and transformative policies, training, and mentorship opportunities, and inequity in asset ownership are also key hindrances.
Girls and women should be enticed to enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. At the same time, men and boys should be encouraged to enter care and education sectors.
Opportunities for lifelong learning, upskilling, and reskilling of the workforce is a ‘no-brainer’ and should be made available to all workers, equally, centrally, and sub-nationally. Social dialogue can play a powerful role in support of this.
To identify and nurture the needed female and male green talent, school offers an important entry-point from the earliest age, while later years also offer opportunities to ensure greater equality in study and occupational choices.
Green jobs are only part of the solution. More focus should be placed on changing gendered habits, norms, and behaviours and the importance of other sustainable sectors, such as care and education.