Unlock Bangladesh's potential for sustainable employment
The global energy landscape has reached a turning point in this decade. Countries have been attempting to reduce their use of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, substituting them with cleaner, renewable energy like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. To address climate change and environmental damage, every country must implement this shift. As a result, the term "green jobs" has emerged. The International Labour Organization (ILO) broadly defines a green job as any decent job that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment, whether it is in agriculture, industry, services or administration. Bangladesh is ranked as the seventh most climate-vulnerable country, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021. Thus, green jobs must proliferate in this country.
There is a huge scope for green employment opportunities in Bangladesh. This shift towards renewable energy sources has the potential to bring economic development and social equality. According to the National Database of Renewable Energy, Bangladesh has an installed capacity of renewable energy of 1562.81 MW. The contribution of solar energy is close to 80 percent. The rest is constituted of hydropower, wind and biogas. In the South Asian region, Bangladesh ranks third in renewable energy employment. India leads the way, and Pakistan ranks second.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) 2022, the age group under 35 comprises more than 60 percent of the population. However, getting a suitable job is a challenge for many young people. More than 10 percent of young people are unemployed, whereas around 85 percent of workers are employed in the informal sector, which offers inadequate compensation and limited job security.
As Bangladesh's energy consumption is rising concurrently, one of the government's top priorities is to have more renewable energy included in the country's energy mix. The Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) 2023, and the National Solar Energy Roadmap (2021–2041) are part of these initiatives. It is projected that the transition to clean energy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. It also creates opportunities for potential future employment.
Sustainable agriculture, waste management, energy efficiency, solar energy, and other green jobs help improve sustainability in economies. Bangladesh has made good progress in sustainable garment manufacturing. Not surprisingly, 62 of the world's top 100 green garment factories are located in the country. So, Bangladesh is making an impact on green jobs in traditional sectors as well.
However, as renewables become more widely adopted, jobs in fossil fuel-based power plants will decline. New jobs will be available in solar and wind power, energy efficiency technologies, etc. This transition requires a new range of skills like multidisciplinary project management, data analysis, system design, installation, and maintenance.
Apart from this, Bangladesh's Solar Home System initiative has generated more than 100,000 jobs in customer support, sales, maintenance, and system installation. However, the majority of the employment is informal, and the renewable energy sector needs more sustainable, formal employment. Thus, staff development training will be required for new employees in advanced areas such as environmental sustainability, smart grid technologies, and energy storage.
Specific funding for retraining initiatives is necessary to assist workers in entering the expanding green economy with new jobs. Renewable energy technology should be incorporated into vocational training facilities, and industry and educational institutions should collaborate more closely. Many workers can be left behind throughout this shift if they don't receive the right support for skill development. Therefore, to guarantee a fair, inclusive, and fruitful energy transition in Bangladesh, deliberate reskilling and upskilling initiatives are essential.
Bangladesh does not have a comprehensive national policy approach for green jobs. The government needs to improve statistics on the labour market, ensure transitions for employees in legacy energy systems, revise technical vocational education and training (TVET) programme frameworks, create a green skills fund, and develop a national strategy for green jobs to address these issues. This entails determining priority industries, projecting employment potential, and offering an implementation roadmap. Moreover, grants and public-private partnerships can back the fund.
Green jobs will also help bridge the gender gap, promote rural development, and reduce unemployment. A comprehensive approach to green jobs will contribute to low-carbon economic development and greater social inclusion.
Afia Mubasshira Tiasha is senior research associate at South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM). She can be reached at [email protected].
Sudeepto Roy is research associate at SANEM. He can be reached at [email protected].
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
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