BOGOTÁ (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) has found that 64 million green jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean – 19 per cent of the total – depend on biodiversity and natural ecosystems. As such, the UN agency for the world of work says, the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) on Biodiversity, currently being held in Cali, Colombia, represents a key opportunity to address the urgent need for biodiversity protection through the creation of decent and sustainable work.

“The shift towards economic models that respect and restore nature is not only an environmental necessity but also an opportunity to create green jobs and sustainable livelihoods,” said Blanca Patiño, Specialist in Green Jobs and Just Transition at the ILO’s Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Illustrative image (ILO)

ILO agenda at COP16

The ILO is organizing a series of events during the COP16, aimed at exploring diverse issues related to a just transition, the creation of green jobs and biodiversity conservation.

These include side events on the role of indigenous peoples in inclusive development and the just transition, and Biodiversity Footprints, a joint event with the Colombian Ministry of Labour that will focus on civic participation, gender equality and decent work in national biodiversity plans. It will also explore a strategy for creating green jobs in Colombia.

A promising outlook

A 2022 joint report by the ILO, United Nations Environment Programme and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, estimated that 20 million jobs could be created globally if investment in nature-based solutions were trippled by 2030. However, the green transition would need to be managed properly if nature-based work such as tree planting and river restoration are to create decent jobs.

“It is not enough to create jobs; we must ensure that new jobs are green and decent, that they contribute to preserving or restoring the environment, with fair and safe working conditions,” Patiño said, noting that this was particularly relevant in sectors such as agriculture and forestry, where informality and precarious working conditions are persistent challenges.

The Latin America and the Caribbean region in particular holds a fifth of the world’s forests and 60 per cent of the planet’s terrestrial life. In these regions, biodiversity is not only an ecological treasure but also a fundamental pillar for the region’s economies and diverse communities. It is therefore essential for indigenous peoples and local communities to be engaged in biodiversity conservation and sustainable management, in line with the ILO’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), the only binding international treaty to recognize the status of such groups as rights-holders and participants in their own development.

“Indigenous youth are uniquely positioned to lead the transition to a green economy and create green and decent jobs in many fields, including sustainable tourism, natural cosmetics, forestry and water protection,” said Hernán Coronado, Specialist in Indigenous Peoples and Focal Point for Latin America at the ILO. “Their proven contribution to conserving natural resources and their sustainable use is more valuable today than ever.”

“The creation of sustainable and decent jobs must be at the centre of the agenda, because a just transition to a green economy is both necessary for the planet’s survival and a pathway to addressing poverty, inequality, and other challenges to social justice and sustainable development,” said Patiño.

The COP16 is being held from 21 October until 1 November.