联合国西亚经济社会委员会-赋予可持续未来权力：阿拉伯地区的绿色就业（英）

Key messagesGreen jobs in the Arab region accounted for only 5% of online job postingsin 2024, most of which were in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.In the Arab region, green employment is concentrated within a limited set of occupations, with green shares at around 4% compared to 12% in the United States.Green jobs constitute 29% of energy sector roles in the Arab region, signalling a shift toward sustainability. However, demand for specialized green roles remains low.The oil and gas sector is gradually transitioning to greener practices, with 23% of its jobs identified as green, primarily in Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.Empowering a sustainable future: green jobs in the Arab regionE/ESCWA/CL2.GPID/2025/Policy brief.4©Vadym/stock.adobe.com2Green jobs as a catalyst for sustainable economic transformationWhile green jobs are now central to policy discussions, the concept itself is not new. Debates on the green economy and green workforce transitions have long focused on making jobs more sustainable and managing the employment shifts that follow.1 This transition requires defining green jobs so as to drive environmental progress. The approach in this policy brief integrates frameworks from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Whether the job is rooted in a traditional sector like manufacturing and construction or belongs to emerging green sectors such as renewable energy and energy efficiency, a green job is characterized by:Output approach: Jobs that produce goods, services or technologies benefiting the environment by protecting, preserving or restoring natural resources, even if their production methods are not entirely green.Process approach: Jobs that make production processes more resource-efficient and environmentally friendly, even if they do not directly produce green goods or services.Adopting this dual approach ensures a clear, structured framework for identifying green versus non-green jobs, guiding labour market assessments and policy interventions.21Green energyEco friendly Earth hourLow emission zoneBiodegradableNo plastic bottle©Alexander Kurilchik/stock.adobe.com3Green jobs in the Arab region: growth, gaps and trendsA. Green jobs on the rise: Saudi Arabia leads the Arab region’s sustainability shiftThe status of green jobs in the Arab region have been analysed to evaluate the growth of green jobs over the years and to identify emerging trends. According to primary data from the ESCWA Skills Monitor, a steady upward trajectory in the total share of green jobs as part of the overall online job market in the region is evident.3 While green jobs still represent a small proportion of total online postings – accounting for approximately 5.06 per cent as of 2024 – this percentage has shown consistent growth since 2021 (figure 1).In the Arab region, Saudi Arabia has the highest total share