Written BY MIKAEL MULUGETA
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- Despite policy setbacks, environmental careers remain some of the most in demand.
- Climate change activism among college students is fueling interest in green jobs.
- The alternative energy sector is seeing some of the strongest growth of any industry.
- Environmental careers offer fulfillment, job stability, and high social impact.
- From London to Nairobi, Warsaw to New York, climate protests that erupted in September have continued into October as millions around the world stand up to demand climate justice. The protests, attended predominantly by young people, have called on world leaders to do more to curb the effects of climate change.In the United States, attitudes about climate change are split along partisan and generational lines. A 2019 poll from the Pew Research Center shows that 57% of Americans consider climate change a major threat to the United States, up from 40% in 2013.
- While changing opinions among Democrats are noted to be responsible for the uptick, another poll found that millennial Republicans are twice as likely as baby boomer Republicans to say that human activity is causing climate change.
As more young people identify climate change as the defining issue of their generation, more are seeking careers that will have a positive environmental impact. This comes at a time when a variety of environmental jobs are projected to have above-average growth over the next 10 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For these reasons, environmental careers focused on conservation, alternative energy, and using engineering to solve environmental problems are increasingly desirable.
Environmental Justice and the New Green Economy
Many climate protestors envision a global green economy that would phase out fossil fuels, increase the use of alternative energy, promote sustainable development initiatives, and prevent or mitigate environmental degradation.
Supporters believe the efforts would not only steer the planet away from the worst effects of climate change, but would also revitalize the world economy as new, eco-friendly industries begin to flourish. The International Labour Organization reports that a greener economy could create 24 million jobs worldwide — if the right policies are implemented.
In August, the United Nations called for a “Global Green New Deal” that would ask countries to band together to rein in climate change, create millions of green jobs, and help avoid a global recession in 2020.
With so many opportunities sprouting up, college students around the world may be wondering how they can best contribute to a global green economy. Some of the fields below feature career paths that offer high social and environmental impact.
Environmental Careers That Are In Demand
Environmental careers that are in high demand are available to students with diverse backgrounds and levels of education. While environmental science and engineering careers generally require at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, there are jobs in the alternative energy industry that require only an associate degree. Environmental advocacy is also an area where individuals with a background in policy, communication, or journalism can flourish.
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