In its latest Green Jobs Barometer, the professional services giant reveals that there have been 272,178 adverts for green jobs in 2024, up from 124,600 three years ago, and a 9.2% increase on 2023.
The share as a proportion of total job adverts increased to 3.3%, adding nearly 23,000 available green vacancies, despite a 22.5% contraction in the overall job market.
Furthermore, for every 10 new green jobs, an additional 27 roles are now created elsewhere in the economy, which is the largest year-on-year increase to the ‘green employment multiplier’ since 2021.
The proportion of green job adverts to total job adverts is higher in Scotland than in any other UK nation, at 5.6%, with its high concentration of new renewable energy projects seeing ads triple over the last three years.
"Scotland remains synonymous with the energy transition," said Jason Morris, regional market leader at PwC Scotland.
"The inception and location of GB Energy and the opportunities around a number of renewable technologies – particularly fixed and floating offshore wind – and their supply chain requirements, are positive signals for future job creation.”
PwC defines green jobs as roles that directly produce green products and services, adapt existing products and services to being more environmentally friendly, or jobs that support a green economy indirectly.
This year’s Green Jobs Barometer also saw employee sentiment towards the environmental friendliness of their employer increase for the first time since 2021, jumping to an average score of 6.9 – up from 6.5 – out of 10.
Residents in all regions believe the green transition will create more jobs than are lost, with this sentiment peaking among 25-34 year-olds, although those over 55 are less optimistic.
However, while over 80% of employees believe their employers will reduce emissions in line with the UK’s net-zero ambitions, only 40% of them think their companies will currently be able to achieve this by 2050.
Morris said that there is a “pressing need to ensure our current and future workforce has the appropriate skills to meet demand, and the infrastructure to continue to support sustainable industries as we take further steps towards the creation of a green economy”.
IEMA's Green Careers Hub provides businesses and individuals with all the information they need on green skills and potential career pathways, here: Home - Green Careers Hub
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Chris Seekings is the Deputy Editor of IEMA’s Transform magazine, which is published biomonthly for IEMA members. Chris’s role involves writing sustainability-related news, features and interviews, as well as helping to plan and manage the magazine’s other day-to-day activities.