FEMISE is proud to launch its latest series of policy briefs, stemming from insightful conference papers presented at the FEMISE annual conference. These briefs are rooted in scientific research and offer actionable political recommendations to address critical challenges in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
The objective if this new series of Policy Briefs is to provide policy makers, international organisers, researchers and stakeholders in the EU-Med region with research-based policy recommendations that: advocate a better EU-Med integration; promote mobilization of investments towards green transition and sustainable economies; empower young people through innovation and entrepreneurship advocacy; and facilitate a better and more equal integration of youth and women, aiming to create pathways for decent employment.
These Policy Briefs aspire to drive impactful dialogue and action across the EU-Med region.
Context
The global push toward decarbonization is reshaping economic structures and labor markets worldwide, with significant implications for countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Historically reliant on carbon-intensive development models, many economies in the region are now aligning national strategies with climate commitments and sustainability targets. Governments have introduced ambitious policy frameworks aimed at reducing emissions, promoting renewable energy, and supporting green economic activities, positioning the green transition as a key driver of future growth.
Despite these policy commitments, the labor market implications of the green transition in the MENA region remain insufficiently understood. While environmental objectives are increasingly integrated into national development agendas, evidence on how this transition affects employment structures, job quality, and workforce participation—particularly for vulnerable groups—remains limited. This knowledge gap is particularly relevant given the region’s persistent structural challenges, including high unemployment rates, labor market segmentation, and widespread informality.
Women and youth, who represent a large share of the region’s population, face significant barriers to accessing emerging economic opportunities. Gender disparities in employment persist across most sectors, while young workers often experience limited access to stable and high-quality jobs. At the same time, much of the region’s environmental work takes place in informal sectors such as waste management and sustainable agriculture, where workers often lack social protection and career development opportunities.
In this context, ensuring that the green transition contributes to inclusive and equitable development is a critical policy challenge. Understanding how environmental policies reshape labor markets—and how they affect women and youth in particular—is essential for designing strategies that promote a socially just and economically sustainable transition in the MENA region.
Summary
This policy brief examines the labor market impacts of the green transition in the MENA region, with a focus on Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Tunisia. Using detailed labor market survey data and a task-based approach to measuring occupational “greenness,” the analysis evaluates the prevalence and intensity of environmental tasks across occupations and explores demographic and structural disparities in access to green employment.
The findings reveal that the region’s green transition remains at an early stage, characterized by a relatively high share of occupations that include some environmental tasks but low overall intensity of green work. Environmental activities account for only a small proportion of job functions, indicating limited structural transformation of labor markets. The analysis also identifies significant demographic inequalities: men are substantially more likely than women to hold green jobs, while young workers are disproportionately concentrated in polluting industries. Furthermore, a large share of green employment occurs in informal sectors, raising concerns about job quality and social protection.
To address these challenges, the brief highlights the importance of targeted policy interventions to support a just transition. Key recommendations include expanding green skills development and vocational training for youth, promoting the formalization of green employment, strengthening industry–education partnerships, supporting green entrepreneurship, and integrating environmental sustainability into sectors where women are already strongly represented. By adopting inclusive policy measures, MENA countries can ensure that the green transition generates equitable economic opportunities while advancing sustainable development objectives.
Read the full Policy Brief no.17 here.
The opinions and contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of FEMISE, IEMED, ERF or the AECID
