Investing in nature-based solutions (NbS) could create up to 32 million new jobs by 2030. This is according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Launched at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Decent Work in Nature-based Solutions 2024 report calls for increased and more targeted investments to the countries with most potential for use of NbS.
Currently, over 60 million people work globally in activities categorized as NbS, which are actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage natural or modified terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems.
Through targeted investments, NbS employment could increase by up to 32 million jobs globally. The greatest gains would be in Africa, Latin America and the Arab States, where the number of people working in NbS could go from the current level of 2.5 million to over 13 million by 2030. The share of global NbS employment in these regions would increase from around 5 per cent currently to over 40 per cent.
While employment estimates currently focus on NbS for environmental challenges like climate mitigation and biodiversity loss as well as land degradation, there is untapped potential for more “green-grey” infrastructure which integrates both the built and nature-based infrastructure (NbI). In low-and middle-income countries where NbS work is more labour-intensive, there is large scope for creating employment opportunities for vulnerable populations.
“With trillions of dollars of infrastructure investment in the pipeline for the coming decades, NbI offers an excellent opportunity to channel a significant amount into nature and drive decent work creation and more climate resilient infrastructure”, said Mirey Atallah, Chief of UNEP’s Climate Adaptation Branch.
The report highlights that, while the overall benefits of the green transition are positive, specific groups may face adverse effects on their employment and livelihoods. As the demand for NbS grows, mobilizing additional resources and implementing just transition measures will be essential to ensure broad support for these initiatives.
“We hope this report will contribute to the global dialogue on the importance of decent work in protecting, restoring and sustainably managing our ecosystems. We also hope it will provide guidance to policymakers and practitioners on leveraging employment opportunities when planning and implementing NbS.” said Moustapha Kamal Gueye, ILO Director for the Priority Action Programme on Just transitions.
Skills gaps in both technical and core competencies pose barriers, with most existing NbS jobs classified as medium-skilled roles. As NbS grows, higher-skilled roles are projected to rise, emphasizing the need for targeted skills development to scale projects and enhance job quality.
“When planned and implemented using a robust environmental, social, and economic framework following the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions, NbS offer an essential tool in the implementation of the climate and biodiversity policy frameworks. This makes NbS a scalable and effective means to address the interlinked climate and biodiversity crises while delivering important benefits for human well-being and livelihoods, including good jobs” said Stewart Maginnis, Deputy Director-General of IUCN.
Key recommendations from the report include strengthening policy frameworks, investing in skills development and enhancing worker productivity. The report further recommends promoting worker rights and inclusiveness in the NbS jobs, and strengthening research and data collection.
