This year, Clean State launched a youth project designed to amplify youth issues and develop recommendations on the creation of green jobs and skills, climate education, and building climate resilience in WA.

Over the last couple months, we’ve been meeting with different organisations, policymakers and young people to talk about what meaningful action on climate change looks like for them and for future generations.

As people living in Western Australia — the only state whose carbon emissions have continued to rise since 2005 — we have a huge responsibility to change how we’re doing things. 

WA has so much to offer – the striking land and sea, the wildlife, our work ethic, our art, our ability to innovate. We have an enormous opportunity in WA to transform our economy into one that is driven by clean energy. 

We have the sun, wind and technology to become a renewable powerhouse, and importantly… we have a unique opportunity right now to empower our young people through better training, education and skills to deliver that clean future.

Green jobs (sometimes called clean jobs) are roles that are involved in the production of sustainable goods and services, or those that contribute to mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gases.

Anticipating the green skills needed in the future will require collaboration with businesses, government and educational institutions as well as advocacy bodies. Green jobs must be made accessible to all who want them – no matter age or ability. We have the solutions – now we just need the skills to bring the action!