Climate transition: trainings needed for 150 000 to 500 000 people per year in the EU (DG Clima)

"The annual number of people who need to be trained for the climate transition alone ranges between 150 000 and 500 000 for the whole EU - less than one percent of the working-age population -, which results in annual costs between €350 million and €1.4 billion in the period from 2025 to 2050", highlights a report titled "Impacts of the Climate Transition on Skills in the Labour Market: Study on the macro-economic impacts of the climate transition" commissioned by the Directorate-General for Climate Action and published on 27/03/2026.

"These figures are small relative to the total workforce, but could increase substantially if existing skill gaps are not closed", states the report. "The largest training needs are linked to the expansion of electric vehicles, wind, and solar technologies, with construction, manufacturing, and energy supply sectors particularly affected. While the economic impacts of training and re-training costs are modest at the macro level, they can be more pronounced in specific sectors and years, especially when large cohorts of workers require up-/ or…