Karen Chelangat, Chief Innovation Officer at Jacob’s Ladder Africa, gave a lecture at the Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice hosted by Chuka University, on 2nd July, 2024, which highlighted the growing potential of this sector, particularly for Africa’s youth.
A pivotal shift is underway in global investments. In 2022, for the first time, funding for the energy transition matched that of fossil fuels to the tune of $1.1 trillion, marking a clear trajectory towards a low-carbon future. The International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts that the green economy will generate 24 million jobs by 2030, primarily in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and waste management. These are sectors with immense potential for job creation in Africa.
-Karen Chelagat, Chief Innovation Officer at JLA.
While these trends are encouraging, the current demand for green skills is outpacing supply according to the 2023 LinkedIn Report on Global Green Skills. The share of green talent in the workforce grew by a median of 12%, while the share of job postings requiring green skills grew 22.7%. This gap creates a unique opportunity for young people to prepare and position themselves at the forefront of this green revolution.
“To harness this potential, young people must be futuristic and stay informed about global trends in technology, climate action, and sustainability,” she said. The need for proactivity in these efforts cannot be overstated. Formal education should be complemented by practical training, internships and apprenticeships to gain hands-on experience. Secondly, entrepreneurship is a powerful tool that must be leveraged. Identifying local challenges and developing innovative solutions can create jobs and improve livelihoods. Whether it’s clean cooking solutions, solar-powered systems, waste recycling and repurposing initiatives, or even eco-tourism ventures, young entrepreneurs can lead the way. “Africa needs innovators who can develop game changing homegrown solutions to local challenges in the green economy like M-PESA, in mobile payments,” she said.
Collaboration is key. Networking with like-minded individuals, mentors, and industry experts can provide invaluable support. Additionally, governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations must work together to create an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs. This includes access to finance, mentorship, and market opportunities. It is also crucial to advocate for policies that prioritize youth employment and green growth. Young people should engage in advocacy efforts to influence decision-makers and create a conducive environment for green job creation.
Jacob’s Ladder Africa has positioned itself at the vanguard of this transition through focusing its efforts around three key thematic areas that harness the recommendations above: Entrepreneurship and Innovation, that provides the enabling environment for young entrepreneurs and early green startups to find their footing and thrive; Communication and Advocacy as a conduit for education, information dissemination, influence and advocacy efforts and Development Programmes, where it collaborates with local governments and relevant development partners and institutions across counties to design and implement socio-economic programmes that solve for unemployment.
The transition to a green economy is not without challenges, but the rewards are immense. By re-imagining themselves anew and embracing the opportunities presented by the climate crisis, Africa’s youth can be at the forefront of building a sustainable and prosperous future. As we all navigate the complexities of climate change, it is essential to invest in them by empowering them with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to create a more sustainable and equitable future for Africa. The green economy offers a pathway to both environmental stewardship and economic prosperity and it is time to harness this opportunity and position Africa as a global leader in climate action.
