Commissioner: Green professions and skills a prerequisite for green economy

The development of green professions and the strengthening of the necessary skills to this end is a prerequisite for the transition to the green economy, which in turn can become a driving force for innovation, job creation and economic resilience, Environment Commissioner Maria Panagiotou said on Wednesday.

Addressing a discussion on the needs of the economy in green professions and skills, organized by Human Resource Development Authority in Nicosia, the Commissioner said that our commitment to green skills and professions is an investment in the future, where employees will be equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to lead our country into a new and sustainable economic environment.

Panagiotou emphasized that the Year of Skills for the Green and Digital Transition is another tool towards achieving a green transition and contributes to the integration of environmental impact in all our activities.

At the same time, she said, it strengthens existing knowledge so that employees can respond to the upcoming changes and challenges and the effort to tackle climate change.

The Commissioner said that her office participates in the National Action Plan of the Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance for the European Year of Skills in which all the partners involved come together as participants in shaping the training and information programs.

She also said that her office, in collaboration with the Cyprus Network of Corporate Social Responsibility-CSR Cyprus, is organizing green skills workshops across Cyprus.

Panagiotou also said that Cyprus welcomes the agreement reached at the COP28 in Dubai to divest from fossil fuels, describing it as a historic decision that reflects not only the global commitment to address climate change, but also redefines the future of professions by showing the way to green jobs.