Climate action is for everyone – and that includes you! But to take action confidently and thrive in a changing world, it’s important to have the right skills not only for now, but for the future. Let’s look at why sustainability skills matter more than ever and how EU initiatives and the European Climate Pact can help you build them.
Why are skills needs changing?
Our world is changing. Climate change’s effects are becoming more frequent, as Europe has experienced yet another summer of extreme weather. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies are transforming many industries and the jobs that drive them.
These changes bring challenges, but they also create opportunities, as new roles emerge and existing jobs evolve. You don't need to be a climate scientist or AI expert to benefit from this. Developing the right mix of skills can help you stay adaptable and open up new opportunities in the field of sustainability throughout your career.
In recent years, Europe has focused on giving people the skills for a so-called twin transition, where the green and digital transitions move forward together.
As Europe continues its journey to climate neutrality and works to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change, the demand for green skills will remain high.
And with the rise of AI, digital skills are becoming more important than ever – but also more complex. Innovation will also shape the future economy, helping us understand how new technologies work and how they can be used responsibly to solve real-world challenges.
This year’s World Youth Skills Day focused on the need to combine these green and digital skills – including skills linked to AI – with the crucial people skills that machines cannot replace.
If you are looking to future-proof your career, be successful in a changing economy and contribute to the clean transition, sustainability skills are more important than ever. These skills are not only vital for many emerging jobs, but are also useful across a wide range of roles in existing sectors.
What is the EU doing to help?
The EU wants to remain competitive while staying resilient in the face of global changes and leading the fight against climate change.
This means investing in people to give them the expertise they need to thrive and respond to challenges.
At the heart of this is the Union of Skills. Launched in early 2025, it focuses on the most important sectors for the digital and green transitions and for the Clean Industrial Deal, including careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.
It’s designed to help you:
- find well-paid, meaningful work;
- learn and adapt as the world changes;
- move and work freely across Europe;
- bring your skills to where they’re needed the most.
In its first year, the Union of Skills:
- created an observatory to provide predictions and data on skills needs
- set up a board involving business, education, training providers and social partners to tackle skills shortages
- started a pilot programme to support workers in sectors most at risk of unemployment
- launched new learning hubs, known as Skills Academies.
These initiatives will support businesses – especially in clean and digital industries – to find the workers they need, as nearly four in five are struggling to recruit those with the right expertise.
What do we mean by sustainability skills?
Often called green skills, sustainability skills refer to the knowledge, values and practical experience that will drive Europe’s clean transition.
The challenges of climate change are not going away anytime soon, so these skills will be vital as Europe continues to work to deal with its impact, be more resilient to future shocks, and eventually become climate neutral.
Green skills can help you understand such challenges, think critically about solutions, work with others and turn your ideas into action.
The EU’s GreenComp framework helps define what these skills are and provide a reference point for people looking to learn new skills to protect our planet.
These skills may include technical skills in areas like sustainable buildings, farming, resource management, renewable energies, climate technologies, and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) more broadly.
They also include transferable skills in things like environmental policy, sustainable business practices, citizen engagement, climate-related communication or behavioural change.
GreenComp focuses mainly on these kinds of skills. Its 12 core skills cover things like thinking critically, understanding problems and being adaptable. They also cover the ability to support fairness, take initiative as an individual, and play your part in collective action.
What’s also clear is that skills in sustainability are no longer just for environmental specialists. They are now needed for a wide range of emerging jobs in new, clean industries and are also becoming more useful in workplaces across existing sectors.
In business, education, healthcare, construction, public administration and many other fields, organisations are adapting to stay competitive in the era of climate change, AI, and other global challenges.
For example, an engineer might need green skills to design more energy-efficient products. A town planner might be tasked with designing a community more resilient to climate change. A teacher might use their knowledge to help students understand why sustainability matters.
In that sense, green skills are some of the most future-proof skills you can develop, as they should continue to be useful for a whole host of careers in the coming decades.
And how can the European Climate Pact help?
The EU Climate Action Academy, brought to you by the European Climate Pact, is here for you at every stage of your climate action journey – whether you’re looking to find a whole new skillset to boost the action you’re already taking, or currently just climate curious.
With our free, self-led course, you can level up your green skills and knowledge, take dedicated modules on topics such as AI for climate solutions and climate communication, and generally build your confidence in tackling climate change.
Take the course:
Follow these three simple steps:
- Enrol in the online course by following the quick and simple instructions.
- Learn in your own time, completing the modules at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home.
- Get a certificate to show off and add to your CV once you’ve completed the course.
Join upcoming training:
The EU Climate Action Academy also runs live training sessions with EU experts.
As part of its latest webinar series, the Academy is hosting a deep-dive session, Greening your job – Driving sustainability at your workplace, on 20 October 2026.
If you are looking to take on responsibility for sustainability in your job, this online session will explore practical ways you can help make your organisation greener, regardless of your role, sector or level of experience.
You will hear real-life examples from professionals who have successfully embedded sustainability into their organisations and leave with practical actions to apply in your own workplace.
Make sure you also subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming sessions that might interest you. The Academy also provides hundreds of resources, including reports, podcasts and even games, which you can explore in your free time.
If you want to go one step further and lead the way through climate action in your community, why not become a European Climate Pact Ambassador? Applications are open until 31 October 2026.
This article was originally published on 23 July 2025.
- Publication date
- 16 October 2026
- Author
- Directorate-General for Climate Action