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Skills and human capital for the low-carbon transition in developing and emerging economies

Author

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  • Francesco Vona

    (University of Milan and Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei)

Abstract

Developing and emerging economies face enormous challenges to reconcile economic development and job creation with decarbonization. An essential aspect of such “early-stage” decoupling of growth and carbon emissions is to develop a skill base that favours the diffusion of green productions and technologies. This paper sheds light on the role of the adjustments in the skill supply and of labour market institutions to pursue such early stage decoupling in developing and emerging economies. The paper begins by defining green growth strategies and the associated green skill requirement. To overcome measurement issues and data limitations, it then assesses the advantages and disadvantages of the task-based approach to green labour markets, emphasizing critical issues for developing countries as well as the opportunities to collect original data. Finally, it derives some policy recommendations to solve the coordination failure between investments in skills, particularly technical skills, and green technology adoption.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Vona, 2023. "Skills and human capital for the low-carbon transition in developing and emerging economies," Working Papers 2023.19, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2023.19
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Skills; tasks; green economy; developing and emerging economies; structural change; green technological change; labour market institutions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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