https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2025/0724/c94476-20344577.html
The “People’s Republic of China Occupation Classification Dictionary (2022 Edition)” lists 134 environmentally conscious “green occupations,” accounting for approximately 8% of the total occupations, spanning fields such as energy conservation and environmental protection, clean energy, and green infrastructure development. Of the 19 new occupations announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China in July 2024, three are “green occupations,” such as power plant operation and maintenance manager, wind power plant blade mechanics and hydrogen fuel cell inspection technicians.
Occupations with distinctive “green” or “low-carbon” characteristics are now referred to as “green collar” rather than “white collar.” Companies are increasingly seeking multi-talented “green collar” talent. According to the “2024 Global Green Skills Report” published by LinkedIn, the world’s largest business-focused social networking site, the offer rate for green jobs is 54.6% higher than for general jobs, exacerbating the supply-to-demand gap.
Statistics show that there are only around 100,000 workers working in the “zero-carbon/carbon-neutral” field, indicating a serious talent shortage. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (China), the world’s largest accounting firm, predicts that China will create more than 38 million jobs by 2050 through its aggressive green transformation, with these jobs primarily coming from rapidly growing low-carbon industries driven by traditional economic advantages. According to Yu Aitao, director of the Student Affairs Office at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s School of Environmental Science and Engineering, more and more young people are choosing ‘green-collar’ careers. There are two reasons for this. First, after acquiring specialized knowledge, more and more people are showing a strong interest in environmental protection and sustainable development. Second, thanks to policy support, the profession has a promising future. While starting salaries are not particularly high at present, this is an industry with great potential for career advancement with experience.
