Who wants to work in the green economy? The importance of climate concern, skills confidence and national context

Summary

The paper explores the factors influencing workers’ interest in switching to jobs in the green economy (GE), a critical condition for labour market transformation in response to the climate crisis. Drawing on original survey data from 3054 workers in the UK and Germany – countries with comparable decarbonisation goals but distinct labour market institutions – we extend established turnover intention and job mobility research by integrating ‘green’ factors, such as climate change awareness and perceived skill fit for GE roles. Our results show that green factors far outweigh conventional job and demographic characteristics in explaining interest in GE jobs. These findings are robust across national contexts, although other factors, such as job satisfaction, union membership, tenure, or contract type, show country-specific effects. The study highlights the need for policy strategies that raise climate awareness and foster workers’ confidence in their skills, while ensuring the availability of decent green jobs. Our work contributes to emerging debates on labour market readiness for a just transition and provides empirical insights for social dialogue, training policy, and worker engagement in decarbonisation strategies.