As the world shifts toward a more resilient, low-carbon economy, Colombia has a significant opportunity to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in emerging industries such as green infrastructure, clean transport and the circular economy.Globally, this transition is expected to generate approximately 375 million jobs. Around 280 million jobs will be linked to adaptation, with 195 million of those adaptation jobs linked to nature-based solutions and regenerative agriculture.As the second-most biodiverse country in the world, Colombia’s ecosystems represent enormous untapped economic potential across even more emerging industries, such as ecotourism, bioeconomy and sustainable exports. Nature tourism and agribusiness alone could create 775,000 jobs by 2035, with many of these jobs concentrated in Córdoba, Atlántico, Nariño, Caldas, Magdalena and Bolívar, expanding economic opportunities in regions whose vast natural landscapes and agricultural potential make them well-positioned for these industries. Colombia’s agricultural capacity, strategic natural ecosystems and regional diversity also position it as a potential leader in nature-based economic development across Latin America.Colombia’s government has already identified more than $32 billion in green investment opportunities spanning renewable energy, ecosystem protection and sustainable agriculture — sectors where the country already holds a competitive advantage. The Central Challenge: Making Growth InclusiveBut turning this potential into reality requires confronting challenges in Colombia’s labor market. For many Colombians, the opportunity to find secure, well-paid and protected employment still depends on their gender, age and where they live, with women, young people and rural communities often facing the greatest barriers.In June 2026, for instance, around 55% of workers were employed informally, working without formal contracts or access to benefits such as social security, paid leave or legal protections. Female labor force participation was about 54%, compared to 76% for men, a gap driven largely by the unequal distribution of unpaid care work. Youth unemployment is around 15%, almost double the national average. An estimated 4.7 million workers, roughly 22.6% of the current workforce, are in occupations that will be directly affected by the climate transition. These include new and emerging roles, such as solar photovoltaic installers and environmental economists; existing occupations requiring new skills, such as electrical engineering technicians, construction inspectors, and bus and truck mechanics; and occupations likely to experience increased demand, including electrical powerline installers and repairers, chemical engineers, forest and conservation technicians, electricians and bus drivers.Alongside new opportunities, the adoption of low-carbon technologies and growing demand for lower-emission goods may displace some workers. New jobs will not necessarily emerge in the same regions, require the same skills or offer comparable pay. Without deliberate management, workers facing these changes and people already excluded from secure employment may struggle to access new opportunities.None of this will change on its own. Policies are needed to focus on workforce development, skills upgrading and new economic opportunities that will help drive Colombia’s long-term competitiveness.The country has already taken several steps: 100% of universities and technical education institutions are expected to offer programs aligned with the needs of a carbon-neutral economy by 2030, and green jobs should represent 45% of total employment by 2050, according to Colombia’s Long-Term Climate Strategy (E2050). The next four years, which coincide exactly with Colombia’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) commitments and the incoming 2026-2030 National Development Plan, represent a strategic opportunity to translate its climate commitments into concrete programs, targets, institutional responsibilities and financing. Colombia’s large working-age population also gives the country an advantage — but that window will not remain open indefinitely. A group of tourists take a canoe ride through a mangrove forest in Colombia. Ecotourism is among the sectors that could grow in Colombia’s nature-based economy. Photo by AlysC/iStock. Policy Levers for Sustainable and Inclusive GrowthA new WRI study sets out three priority areas Colombia will need to focus on to move its economy in this low-carbon, resilient and competitive direction: Reconversión laboral, mejora de competencias y empleos verdes con enfoque de equidad: recomendaciones para el Plan Nacional de Desarrollo 2026-2030 de Colombia.Download1) Governance and Political IntentColombia has already made progress in embedding just transition principles into its national climate commitments, including the NDC and its Long-Term Climate Strategy. These principles support workers and communities affected by the shift away from high-emitting industries and enable them to benefit from opportunities created by a low-carbon economy. Likewise, the Ministry of Labor has moved this forward by creating a workforce strategy. The task now is to put them into action.The National Development Plan must translate these commitments and strategies into concrete programs, such as regional economic diversification initiatives that provide business development and market access for sustainable agriculture, nature tourism, ecosystem restoration and bioeconomy business, transition support for workers and communities affected by declining industries, like reskilling and upskilling training programs, and measures to ensure that new investment creates formal jobs.These measures could include agreements between project developers and local authorities that set explicit targets for local hiring and formal job creation in the regions where projects are developed. Delivering these programs will require clear institutional owners, timelines and funding sources, ideally, by aligning labor, education, investment and climate policy.These areas are often planned and implemented separately, leading to disconnected initiatives, preventing policies and investments from working toward the same goal. National targets must be matched by local transition agreements: tailored plans that bring together governments, trade unions, businesses and communities, aligned with broader local and regional development strategies.2) Training InnovationA low-carbon, climate-resilient economy is not built by policy alone; it is built by people, by their hands and skills. Reskilling and upskilling workers will be needed faster than traditional education allows. To meet this demand, short, modular, flexible and stackable training programs can help workers to more quickly update their technical skills. This is particularly important in Colombia, where many in its informal workforce lack paid time off or employer-supported training and cannot afford to step away from their jobs while they retrain.At the same time, recognizing the skills people already have will be essential. The National Learning Service (SENA), which already certifies skills acquired through practice, has already reached more than 260,000 Colombian workers in 2025. Expanding this model and complementing it with clear occupational certifications would help informal workers to convert practical experience into recognized credentials and access better-quality formal employment.None of this will be inclusive by default. Women face barriers that training programs rarely account for: a disproportionate share of unpaid childcare, eldercare and household tasks, leaving less time for training; limited rural connectivity, which restricts access to online and in-person courses; and exclusion from technical training, which narrows their pathways into emerging green jobs. Programs must therefore be designed around these lived realities, not just formally open to them.3) Financing and IncentivesFinancing the transition requires a different way of thinking about costs. Reskilling and workforce development should be treated not as recurrent expenditure but as an investment in people.Public spending can also serve as direct leverage: Large infrastructure, energy and transport contracts financed with public resources should require local hiring, skills certification and training to turn projects into workforce development.Incentives matter most for the smallest firms. Micro, small and medium-sized businesses generate around 80% of national employment, yet they have the least capacity to absorb the cost of retraining staff or adopting low-carbon technologies. A combination of fiscal and financial incentives, access to credit and technical assistance — paired with gradual steps toward formalization — can help businesses retrain workers and adopt low-carbon technologies while improving employment quality.Finally, international climate finance should go in the same direction. This is particularly relevant in Colombia, where international support for protecting globally important ecosystems such as the Amazon could also help Indigenous Peoples and local communities develop skills and access green jobs in restoration, sustainable forest management, nature tourism and bioeconomy enterprises.International cooperation and development bank lending should explicitly direct a share of climate funding toward a green and equitable labor transition — including reskilling, social protection and the expansion of training institutions like SENA. By building local skills and employment opportunities, these investments can make conservation and sustainable resource use viable sources of employment and income, reducing reliance on activities that degrade ecosystems. Integrating employment and skills into climate finance is key to maximizing the economic and social returns of climate investment. Two women help spread coffee beans to dry them out at a Colombian coffee farm. Only 54% of women participate in the nation’s workforce. Photo by andresr/iStock. Colombia’s Moment to Build a New EconomyColombia’s opportunity for a new economy — rooted in nature, driven by innovation and designed for inclusion — is a practical, achievable agenda. The building blocks are in place: extraordinary biodiversity, a young workforce, proven agricultural capacity and growing investor interest in nature-based economic development.Now is the time for Colombia to simultaneously address the climate crisis and expand its economy for its people. With the right policies, this transition can improve the lives of millions of workers. Realizing this opportunity will require deliberate action across workforce development, local planning and climate investment.