Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World

The pledge to Leave No One Behind underpins the United Nations work and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes our youth who not only directly experience the outcome of the SDGs but will also be the key driver for their successful implementation in the future.

On this International Youth Day, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres shares his message emphasizing the role of young people, quote:

"Every year, International Youth Day celebrates the determination, ideas and leadership of young people as we pursue a better world.

Across all of today’s challenges, young people are calling for bold and accelerated action, standing in solidarity with the most vulnerable, and designing solutions to ensure social, economic and climate justice, and peace and prosperity for all. To expand their participation, I recently launched a policy brief calling for governments to make youth participation the norm, rather than the exception, across decisions and policies around the world.

This year’s theme reminds us of the importance of ensuring young people gain and apply skills in the burgeoning green economy. From innovative sustainable technologies and renewable energy to revolutions in transportation systems and industrial activity, young people must be equipped with skills and knowledge to shape a cleaner, greener, more climate resilient future.

Humanity depends on the boundless energy, ideas and contributions of youth everywhere. Today and every day, let’s support and stand with young people in shaping a just and sustainable world, for people and planet."

End Quote

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The theme for this year’s international day is Green Skills for Youth, which can be explained as the “knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society”. The shift to build resilient, inclusive and green economies is particularly relevant to our small island state of Mauritius, which is on the frontline of the climate crisis.

The UN is committed to supporting young people access the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. To that end the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have collaborated to produce the “Green Jobs for Youth Pact” along with member states to increase commitments and speed up action to create green jobs for young people and close the skills gap. While ILO with the International Training Centre (ITC) are supporting young African entrepreneurs to develop their environmentally and socially responsible business embracing the circular economy approach and ensuring decent work environments through online study.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is working with the government of Mauritius to mobilize the knowledge and experience of the diaspora. Young people between the ages of 18-35 are being encouraged to share “skills for the future” and “skills for green jobs” through the recently launched pilot project “Nou Rasinn – Look Forward, Give Back” Youth Diaspora Volunteering Project (iom.int).  

Empowering youth with the space to have their voices heard about the issues that affect the future of their country and our planet, the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office has initiated a Noontime Knowledge series "Youth Talking About Sustainability". This series of consultations is held in collaboration with academia. Each session brings together students, experts, researchers, advocates, and/or practitioners for discussions on key strategic issues for Mauritius and Seychelles. Topics to date have included COP27, food security and digital transformation.

There is no doubt that youth can be that positive force to achieve the sustainable world for people and planet that the Secretary General envisions in his message.

Find out more:

ILO podcast - Green jobs: A solution to youth employment and the climate crisis? | The Future of Work Podcast (ilo.org)