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The ASEAN Green Jobs Forum has called for funding for green industries, skills training aligned with labour market needs, and stronger social protection to ensure workers benefit from the shift to a greener economy.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must strengthen investment in green industries, align skills development with labour market needs and mobilise adequate resources to turn regional commitments into decent work opportunities, leaders concurred at the 2026 ASEAN Green Jobs Forum.
The two-day forum concluded on 20 October 2026 in Makati City, the Philippines, with delegates identifying priorities to advance the ASEAN Framework and Action Plan for a Just and Inclusive Transition to Green Jobs 2025-2030.
Held under the theme “Creating Green Jobs, Building Future Skills: Transforming ASEAN’s Economies and Workforce for a Just and Inclusive Future”, the forum explored ways to strengthen regional cooperation and create employment opportunities while protecting workers’ rights and livelihoods.
In her closing message, Carmela I. Torres, Undersecretary, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the green transition must create decent work while protecting workers whose jobs and livelihoods may be affected by economic and environmental changes.
“Our core responsibility is to ensure that this transition creates decent work opportunities for our people, while providing a social protection floor to those whose jobs and livelihoods may be affected,” she said.
Undersecretary Torres added that the green transition is not solely an environmental concern, but also an economic and labour issue that affects how businesses operate and how workers earn their livelihoods.
“By 2030 we should be able to demonstrate progress in creating green jobs, preparing workers for changing labor markets, and ensuring that the benefits of transition are shared more broadly,” she said.
She also emphasised that the transition must provide meaningful opportunities for both formal and informal workers, ensuring that no one is left behind as industries change.
To translate regional commitments into action, Undersecretary Torres outlined three priorities from the forum’s discussions:
- Directing investment towards industries that generate green jobs.
- Strengthening the link between employment and skills development.
- Providing the financing, technical assistance and resources needed to implement the framework and action plan.
Strengthening green skills and regional cooperation
The Philippines expressed support for greater technical cooperation among ASEAN member states, including the mutual recognition of green skills and the establishment of an ASEAN Green Jobs Centre of Excellence.
The proposed centre would help member states develop and implement policies to support the transition. Meanwhile, cooperation on skills recognition could help workers demonstrate their capabilities across different markets.
Under the ASEAN framework and action plan, green jobs are defined as jobs that substantially contribute to improving environmental quality, whether in emerging industries or traditional sectors undergoing transformation.
However, these jobs must also meet decent work standards, including adequate wages, safe working conditions, social protection, social dialogue and respect for workers’ rights.
Held under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship, the forum brought together government representatives, employers’ and workers’ organisations, training institutions, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), development partners, and civil society organisations.
Participants exchanged policies, programmes and practices to help industries adopt greener operations while expanding decent work opportunities. The forum was organised in collaboration with the Australian Government through the Australia for ASEAN Futures Initiative and the ASEAN Secretariat.
The initiative also looks to support the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in expanding employment and livelihood opportunities and strengthening Filipino workers’ skills amid changes in industries and technology.
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Lead image / DOLE
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