Stakeholders call for aligning education with renewable, agriculture and circular economy need

The 7th International Conference on Sustainability Education (ICSE) concluded in New Delhi with a focus on addressing the skills gap required for the green economy. The two-day event, organised at the India Habitat Centre under the theme “Sustainability Education for Green Jobs”, brought together educators, policymakers, industry representatives and youth to discuss how education can be aligned with emerging sustainability-driven employment needs.

Sessions examined how Stem learning, vocational training, entrepreneurship and lifelong education could be reoriented to meet growing demand for skills in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, circular economy, eco-tourism, biodiversity conservation and the developing blue economy.

The agenda connected with India’s National Education Policy 2020 and global frameworks, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education and Goal 8 on decent work. Participants underlined that equity and inclusion would be important to ensure marginalised communities also benefit from green job opportunities.

Benno Boer, Chief of Unesco South-Asia, said greater collaboration between governments and the private sector would be necessary to design and scale programmes that open new employment pathways. Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman and Managing Director of Ireda, noted that India’s net zero target for 2070 required stronger focus on green education alongside measures to limit fossil fuel use.

Youth voices were represented through sustainability influencers Anuj Ramatri and Aalekh Kapoor, who highlighted grassroots initiatives. From a policy perspective, Amit Verma, Director of Green Transition, Environment and Climate Change at Niti Aayog, described vocational training as a bridge between innovation and implementation.

Prithvi Yadav, President and Vice Chancellor of Shri Padampat Singhania University, said green jobs required both technical knowledge and a sense of responsibility, while Kartikeya Sarabhai, Founder Director of the Centre for Environment Education, argued that classrooms should become “laboratories for sustainability.”

The conference closed with recommendations to integrate green skills into curricula, expand innovation and entrepreneurship, and encourage wider partnerships. In their remarks, Mobius Foundation leaders Pradip Burman and Praveen Garg reaffirmed support for strengthening sustainability education within India’s development agenda.