Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Senator Dr Musadik Masood Malik on Friday has urged accelerated international and domestic investment in green skills development, warning that without a climate-ready workforce, developing countries risk falling behind in the global transition toward clean energy and low-carbon growth.
Speaking at a high-level side event titled “Building Green Skills for a Sustainable Pakistan” via video link at the Pakistan Pavilion during the UN Climate Summit (COP30) in Belém, Dr Malik said that unprecedented economic and industrial shifts – driven by massive global investments in renewable energy, climate-smart infrastructure, battery storage, green mobility and circular economies – are transforming the nature of jobs, market competitiveness and global trade systems.
He said Pakistan, despite being one of the most climate-vulnerable countries, holds significant potential due to its youthful population, growing tech ecosystem and increasing recognition that the future of employment will be green, inclusive and innovation-driven. “Developing green skills is essential for climate resilience, energy transition and access to global green investment,” he said.
The minister cautioned that emerging trade instruments, including the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), are putting pressure on countries to decarbonise supply chains and train workers to meet new compliance requirements. Failure to reskill workers in time, he warned, may leave developing economies at a competitive disadvantage.
Dr Malik emphasised that the low-carbon transition must remain just and equitable, ensuring support for communities dependent on traditional and fossil-fuel-linked livelihoods. “Climate action must advance alongside human-capital development,” he said, adding that policies alone cannot achieve Pakistan’s climate goals without technicians, engineers, farmers and innovators capable of implementing them.
He called on development partners, financial institutions, international organizations and the private sector to collaborate with Pakistan in expanding climate-relevant education, vocational training and technology access. “Investing in people is central to economic modernization,” he said.
The session brought together policymakers, researchers, multilateral banks and technical experts to discuss how developing nations can close the widening gap between the demand and supply of climate-skilled workers. The discussion was moderated by Syed Bulent Sohail, Managing Partner at Sohail C Partners LLP and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Sohail University.
Tátilla Pamplona, State Attorney of Pará and President of the OAB Commission at COP30, stressed the need for governance and legislative frameworks that embed justice, equity and labour protections in the clean-energy transition.
World Bank Climate Change Adviser Paola Ridolfi noted that climate goals cannot be met unless countries systematically invest in training workers for emerging green value chains.
Craig Hanson, Managing Director at the World Resources Institute, warned that the world will need nearly double the number of climate-skilled workers by 2050, while current supply is expanding too slowly.
GIZ Programme Director Nadja Emmanuel highlighted the need for targeted technical training, industry-linked university programmes and youth-focused vocational initiatives aligned with hiring needs in green sectors.
The event also showcased presentations from Pakistani innovators working on advanced climate technologies, including exascale climate-risk modeling, AI-based agricultural pest control and geospatial early-warning systems.
Pakistan has recently launched initiatives to address the green-skills gap, including the UNICEF-Muslim World League Green Skills Training Programme, which aims to train thousands of young people – particularly girls – in climate and digital competencies.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to expanding partnerships across government, academia, industry and development organizations.
Proposed areas of collaboration include strengthening the Green Tech Hub, integrating green-skills training into national education systems and exploring the establishment of a “Green University” as a national centre of excellence.