UNESCO: A job for the planet: students and experts discuss the green jobs of tomorrow

Is it already too late to do something for the planet? In an ever-changing world, where half the world's population is under the age of 25, and where some 85% of the jobs of 2030 do not yet exist, choosing a green career is an undeniable way to help combat climate change.

During our Campus "A job for the planet", 300 French and foreign middle and high school students connected online were able to talk to professionals about their jobs:

• Caroline Quazzo, an academician specializing in physical geography and sociology. Creator of the Master in Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development at the Institut Catholique de Paris
• Özlem Adiyaman Lopes, Geologist, Program Specialist in UNESCO's Natural Sciences Sector
• Alexis Rosenfeld, professional diver, underwater photographer and explorer with the 1Ocean Foundation

Against a backdrop of growing eco-anxiety, Caroline Quazzo, a former journalist, political advisor and project manager in Africa in the environment and sustainable development sector, has created a master's degree dedicated to environmental professions. At the crossroads of hard and social sciences, it offers concrete perspectives for professional action. In her view, it's vital to avoid binary thinking when choosing your future. She reminded Campus participants of the importance of finding out what they want to do, so as to give meaning to their choice of actions on a daily basis, in their future professional life or through volunteer commitments.

"Professions are changing because there are new environmentally-friendly practices to integrate, particularly in very traditional jobs. Some of them may have to evolve a lot as a result. But some are going to become increasingly important and require a growing workforce, as is the case in the sustainable development sector, CSR (corporate social responsibility), etc...".

Are there any jobs "against" the planet? Angelo, Ecole Pascal

"Some companies can be very polluting, but their research, development and innovation activities can be beneficial to other, more virtuous sectors.”

Özlem Adiyaman Lopes, then dedicated her talk to her profession as a geologist and its evolution. When she began her career, all studies focused exclusively on the mining aspect, whereas today the stakes are more related to biodiversity. At UNESCO, she has been involved in the creation of new biosphere protection zones and Geoparks (unique, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological importance are managed by the Organization).

"We shouldn't be too pessimistic, because things are changing faster and faster. New positive efforts are being made in all areas, which wasn't necessarily the case a few years ago."

What is the impact of artificial intelligence on geology? Lucile, Ecole Jeannine Manuel School

"AI helps us enormously because it speeds up tasks. Previously, some scientific experiments took a month; today they take an hour. However, the ethical and data management aspects are still to be questioned."

Finally, Alexis Rosenfeld introduced us to his unusual profession: diver-photographer. Biodiversity is the world of living organisms, "a balance that we have with each other, like a large shared apartment". His photographs bear the marks of time and serve as tools for communicating the state of the oceans. His work is inseparable from that of the researchers whose stories he has been illustrating for over 30 years.

"Yes, and that's great news in our anxiety-ridden world! I can really see the before-and-after evolution when a marine area becomes protected. Nature is very resilient, unlike humanity."