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I want to prevent climate change

I want to prevent climate change

Fixing the Planet

Climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity. As global temperatures rise, the planet is heating up and many countries will be under threat from extreme weather and rising sea levels.

Selection of jobs using the value of I want to prevent climate change

Explore more green jobs... 

Use our Green Jobs search to find a range of job profiles for roles that are involved in producing good or services that help to protect the environment and look after out natural resources. 

You may also want to explore jobs in following sectors: 

Job opportunities to prevent climate change

Do you want a job involved in protecting the planet?

Green Jobs are those involved in producing goods or services that help to protect the environment and look after our natural resources - many of these roles are directly involved in working to prevent climate change.

'The Government's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 will mean investment, and change, across the economy: from the decarbonisation of buildings and transport, to shifts in diet, aviation and industry.' Net Zero Jobs, Resolution Foundation

'There could be as many as 694,000 direct jobs employed in the low-carbon and renewable energy economy by 2030 in England, rising to over 1.18 million by 2050'. Local Green Jobs report, Local Governments Association.

This presents a lot of interesting employment opportunities including jobs involved in the following areas:

Campaigning for Change.

To get to net zero we will need bold people who are committed to making change happen. People who understand the importance of sustainability, can communicate their vision, bring people on board and create policies that can help people change their behaviour. 

We will also need people who can hold companies to account and take tough and maybe unpopular decisions. 

Examples of jobs; MP, Prime Minister, civil servant, marketing campaign manager for Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth, broadcast journalist, content producer for film/ TV, environmental lawyer, local government officer, behaviour change psychologists etc.

Managing Weather Changes

The UK weather is going to get warmer and wetter. We will need meteorologists especially if there is more likelihood of extreme weather conditions, and climate scientists who can analyse trends and patterns in our climate and advise the government. It is likely that more areas of the UK will be affected by flooding. 

Examples of jobs related to preventing flooding, meteorologist, climate change scientist, hydrologist, environmental engineer, town planner, environmental management, civil engineer for flood management schemes, construction roles.

Increasing our Renewable Energy 

We are already generating large amounts of electricity from off shore wind farms on the coast and there are plans for more. We also need to generate electricity from solar farms and from building more nuclear power stations. There will be opportunities to design, install and maintain these farms and power stations. 

Examples of jobs; wind turbine engineer, environmental consultant, nuclear engineers, energy engineer, environmental engineer, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer.

Find out what motivated Rosie who liked biology to train as an environmental consultant in renewable energy, and why being a wind turbine engineer is similar to servicing a car! If you like organising things you might enjoy being a construction co-ordinator of wind turbines.

Heating our Homes

Today 80% of our homes are heated by gas and many are not well insulated. Friends of the the Earth explains the new ways we can heat and insulate our homes to save the planet.

Examples of jobs to replace gas engineers; heat pump installer, hydrogen boiler engineer, energy engineer, insulation installer. 

Food and Waste Changes

The Climate Change Committee says that by 2050 meat and dairy consumption will be down between 35 and 50% as we move towards a plant-based diet - so there is likely to be more investment in meat replacements such as plant based burgers. There will be biodegradable packaging and more recyclable products. 

Examples of jobs; food scientist, plant based food manufacture, biochemist, packaging designer.

Transport Changes

By 2050 all forms of transport are likely to be electric, and there will be more space for cycle lanes in our towns and cities. There will be machines that capture carbon. People are likely to use trains for longer journeys and aeroplanes are likely to rely on biofuels and include a carbon offset tax. 

Examples of jobs; urban transport planner, environmental engineer, architect, cycle coach and mechanic, carbon capture engineer.

Changes to land use

We will need to plant more forests, so there will be fewer open fields. With a move away from eating meat, there will be less fields for animal grazing and these may be shared it with solar panels. 

Examples jobs; agronomist, forestry worker, ecologist, hydrologist.

'Sustainability' is the buzzword for new green jobs.

Sustainability means meeting the needs of the population now, without compromising the resources for future generations. 

Examples of jobs; You will see 'sustainability' in job titles in everything from; environmental economists, to local authority sustainable travel co-ordinator, and for every part of the economy. from fashion to building, engineering and food manufacture. It is a relatively new area and there is a lot of demand for people with the knowledge and skills to draw up sustainability plans for net zero. Look for degrees that include sustainability in the content or the title.

Have you heard of social enterprises? There are over 100,000 different ones from Tom's Shoes to The Big Issue. Like traditional businesses they aim to make a profit but it’s what they do with their profits that sets them apart – reinvesting or donating them to create positive social change.

Quite a lot of social enterprises are set up by people committed to preventing climate change. Find out more here.

Relevant courses to help protect the planet


    Green Apprenticeships

    Get Informed about Climate Change

    Read Friends of the Earth's 10 things you can do to help stop climate change

    Listen to BBC Sounds - 39 ways to save the planet - positive and interesting!

    Animation explaining how we can rethinking throwing things away to create a circular economy.

    Other Careerpilot tools you can use to find jobs that suit you

    Do the Job Quiz and see what sectors match what you want from work.

    Do the Skills Profile to see what skills you have now and save them to talk about on applications

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