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The GCC is making bold strides toward a more sustainable future, with companies increasingly prioritising environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. Yet a critical challenge looms: the widening green skills gap threatens to slow momentum and hinder the region’s ambitious goals.
Organisations across the region are recognising the need to scale their ESG capabilities, not only to build long-term resilience, but also to drive value creation.
At the same time, governments are rolling out national net-zero agendas and introducing new regulatory frameworks to accelerate ESG adoption. There is a growing consensus that strong ESG performance is essential for organisations to stay competitive and appealing to investors, customers, and other key stakeholders.
As economic diversification and decarbonisation efforts take root, GCC countries are embracing advances in AI and automation to fast-track their green transition. This shift has driven a surge in demand for sustainability and ESG professionals, particularly those with expertise in climate risk management, sustainable finance, and corporate governance.
ESG outlook: Green job growth is outstripping workforce readiness
However, talent pipelines are struggling to keep pace. Green job growth is outstripping workforce readiness, with a shortage of skills threatening to stall progress. In fact, a PwC report reveals that one in three business leaders in the GCC cite a lack of internal skills and expertise as a top barrier to achieving ESG goals.
The LinkedIn Global Green Skills Report 2024 underscores the urgency. Between 2023 and 2024, global demand for green talent grew twice as fast as supply—rising by 11.6 per cent compared to just 5.6 per cent growth in supply. By 2030, one in five jobs globally could lack qualified green talent. And by 2050, the gap may widen to one in two roles unless the green talent pool doubles.
Green skills are not only in demand — they’re also proving to be a hiring advantage. According to LinkedIn, candidates with green skills or titles are hired at a rate 54.6 per cent higher than the workforce average.
Despite this, a clear generational gap is emerging: while 61 per cent of Gen Z workers globally aspire to work in a green job within the next five years, only 1 in 20 currently possess green skills, and less than half have access to relevant training programs.
The shortage spans both technical and soft skills, from renewable energy engineering, carbon accounting, and environmental management to collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Companies increasingly view green capabilities not as a “nice to have” but as business-critical for attracting investment, meeting regulatory requirements, and remaining competitive in a fast-evolving global economy.
Another PwC report from 2024 highlights structural challenges: many organizations lack access to customized training programmes, and educational institutions are struggling to keep pace with evolving skill demands. Without the right tools and partnerships to assess and close this capability gap, it will only widen further.
Addressing this challenge will require a coordinated effort across governments, businesses, and educational institutions. Encouragingly, GCC countries are stepping up, launching upskilling programs and forging partnerships with global organizations to develop the workforce of the future. Initiatives like fintech hubs, innovation accelerators, and entrepreneurship incubators are also helping attract and retain top talent, especially among youth.
Specific national initiatives are helping drive this momentum. The UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050, for instance, aims to significantly expand clean energy capacity, triple the contribution of renewables, and create 50,000 green jobs by 2030.
Similarly, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 places sustainability at the heart of its economic diversification agenda, increasing demand for a workforce skilled in renewable energy, green technologies, and sustainable tourism.
Vital to learn news tools to thrive
With nearly half the region’s population under the age of 24, and 61 per cent of employees in the Middle East recognising the need to learn new tools and technologies to thrive in their roles, the urgency is clear. Gen Z remains particularly underserved when it comes to green skills, making it imperative to prioritize training for this cohort.
Online learning platforms offer a scalable, accessible solution. Through flexible training pathways, they can deliver targeted skill development in areas such as climate risk, renewable energy, and sustainable finance, empowering individuals and organisations to lead the green transition.
Educational institutions also play a vital role. By integrating ESG into core curricula — embedding CSR into marketing and finance programs, for instance—and offering specialized training aligned to regional needs, they can prepare learners to meet the GCC’s unique sustainability challenges.
To realise its ESG ambitions, the GCC must close the green skills gap. Government policies are laying a strong foundation, but businesses and educators must move in lockstep to equip the workforce with the practical, job-ready skills needed to implement sustainability at scale. This will be key to unlocking long-term growth, innovation, and resilience across the region.
The writer is Coursera’s GM for the Middle East and Africa.
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