Skills for work and life

At COP30 in Belem, UNESCO-UNEVOC, together with the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and the United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), convened a knowledge-sharing session under the UNFCCC Capacity Building Hub’s theme Capacities of the future, spotlighting the transformative role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in climate action. The session, Future-proofing people and communities through greening TVET, brought together perspectives from two UNEVOC centres, SENAI in Brazil and the Ministry of Education in Kenya, as well as development partner, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, to explore how skills development can empower individuals and communities to thrive in a green economy.

Why does greening TVET matter?

As climate change accelerates, the transition to sustainable economies demands more than technology—it requires people equipped with the right skills. UNESCO-UNEVOC emphasized that greening TVET is not just about adding environmental content to curricula, it is a systemic approach that integrates sustainability principles into institutional planning, teacher training, campus operations and industry partnerships. This holistic model, which has advanced significantly in Kenya, ensures that learners acquire both technical competencies and the mindset needed for climate resilience.

The session created a platform to engage policymakers, civil society, non-state actors and youth in how TVET can drive the climate agenda, and shared examples of initiatives from Brazil and Kenya, among others.

The key messages were:

1. Skills are climate enablers - There is no climate transition without a skills transition. Current gaps in workforce readiness threaten the pace of green transformation.
2. There is a need to learn from and scale up future-oriented approaches that work - SENAI Brazil showcased its foresight methodology for anticipating labour market trends and designing new training programmes in renewable energy, circular economy and bioeconomy. This approach reduces mismatches and prepares workers for emerging green jobs such as biorefinery operations and hydrogen production.
3. Inclusive transition must be at the heart of climate action - GIZ’s Professionals of the Future project highlighted strategies to improve employability for women and vulnerable groups through modular, demand-driven courses and active labour market measures.

The event also provided an avenue to share the latest UNESCO Greening Communities Guidance, which is a new resource that demonstrates how local engagement and futures literacy can bridge the gap between climate policies and lived realities, fostering resilience at the grassroots level.

Additionally, the Hub’s core objective was reinforced — strengthening institutional and human capacities to deliver climate solutions. Making green TVET transformations can unlock pathways for decent work, social equity and environmental stewardship. Greening TVET is not an option, it is a necessity for future-proofing societies.

The session called upon governments, industry and education partners to invest in skills as a cornerstone of climate strategies.

Visit the 7th Capacity Building Hub on the COP30 website to learn more.