Globally, there’s a shortage of people with the expertise and skills needed to drive the transition towards a green economy – known as green talent. The pool of green talent needs to be doubled by 2050 if the world is to move away from fossil fuels. In South Africa, despite efforts, there are still gaps in green talent training. These are delaying the transition away from coal.

Sean Kruger, a technology and innovation specialist at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Future of Work, unpacks what is needed to close the green talent gap.

What is South Africa’s green talent gap?

South Africa has substantial renewable energy resources (solar and wind) and is advancing in sectors like hydrogen technology. The development of green talent to run these new renewable projects is crucial.

On top of this, every sector of the economy affects the environment and will need to change how it works. For instance, the retail sector produces waste, but can reduce this by changing packaging. Managers will also need green talent to reduce their companies’ greenhouse gas emissions while still driving efficiency.

Studies of labour markets show there is a great shortage of green talent globally. That includes South Africa’s blossoming green hydrogen industry.

Multinational corporations working in renewable energy face a shortage of skilled technicians and engineers who can set up and maintain large-scale wind and solar farms. For smaller enterprises, incorporating renewable energy can reduce operational costs and enhance sustainability branding.

But they also struggle to find small-scale renewable specialists or green energy auditors. A green energy auditor is responsible for helping businesses or individuals draw on renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, to help reduce their carbon footprint and operating costs.

Hydrogen specialists are also in short supply. South Africa’s platinum reserves make it a prime location for hydrogen fuel cell technology. This is a clean energy system where hydrogen and oxygen react in an electrochemical cell. There, they produce electricity, water and heat. This offers high energy efficiency and zero emissions at the point of use. Anglo American Platinum, for example, is investing in green hydrogen technology for heavy-duty transportation. However, the scarcity of hydrogen fuel cell engineers and chemists hampers this innovation.

Data scientists use advanced statistical, analytical and programming skills to extract insights from large datasets. They support data driven decision-making and predictive analysis for businesses, but their skill is scarce too.

Environmental engineers are needed to interpret climate-related data, assess carbon footprints, and come up with plans for companies to be environmentally sustainable. They advise companies on how achieve net-zero emissions. However, there is a shortage of data scientists with environmental expertise.

Eco-friendly buildings are also needed. These are designed and constructed with sustainable materials to be energy efficient and minimise greenhouse gas emissions. There’s also a shortage of mid-level technicians trained in energy efficiency and green building practices.

This affects small and medium property developers. They need to expand their efforts in using energy efficient design in renovations and new builds. This will lower their long-term costs and increase the market value of their properties. But they face challenges in sourcing qualified green professionals, and balancing green efforts with returns for investors.

How could COP29 change this?

The 29th annual global climate change conference of the parties (COP29) will bring together the world’s governments in Azerbaijan on 11 November 2024 to discuss how to limit global warming. Part of the discussion will be on the green talent shortage globally.

At COP29, South Africa needs to focus on these green talent priorities:

International collaboration and partnerships – COP29 has called for greater international cooperation in tackling climate challenges through skills development and technology transfer. Technology transfer is where new ideas, inventions or technologies are turned into profitable products or services through commercialisation, licensing, or new business models that generate revenue and economic value.

South Africa already has partnerships with international development organisations, and should use these to accelerate the development of green talent. For example, joint training of green hydrogen professionals with other countries would give South Africa access to best practices in hydrogen production and renewable energy.

The country has a South Africa-H2 Fund, launched in collaboration with the Netherlands and Denmark. It aims to attract US$1 billion in blended finance (loans, incentives and grants). The fund will accelerate the green hydrogen economy, including developing skilled jobs.

Green jobs for the youth – COP29 will convene talks about innovative ways to bring young people into green careers. South Africa’s move away from coal provides opportunities to retrain and upskill young people, through apprenticeships and work-based learning programmes. An example is training for hydrogen fuel cell system practitioners, who manage the chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell stack.

This training is being conducted by the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority and Bambili Energy. This model could be scaled up so that South Africa’s large youth population is prepared for green jobs, contributing both to job creation and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

More funding for green jobs skills training – South Africa should advocate for funding to establish skills development zones that focus on training for the renewables, hydrogen and electric vehicle sectors. This would bolster the country’s green economy, support the transition to renewable energy and provide much-needed employment opportunities.

What should South Africa do next?

South Africa needs to develop a green talent strategy that sets up training in renewable energy and environmental conservation from school level. This will help develop a pipeline of future talent.

Vocational training needs to be part of the strategy. South Africa’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges want to offer specialised programmes in solar, wind energy, and energy efficiency. But they need updated curricula and up-skilling for their trainers. These colleges also need enhanced industry partnerships where students can get practical experience.

Universities must continue to integrate specialised green talent development into their curricula. They could focus on environmental data science, renewable energy engineering and sustainable business practices.