Taiwo Hassan 
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math will accelerate the green transition while making it more inclusive.
In a blog released during the week, it said men held about 70 per cent of the world’s polluting jobs, so one might think that they have most to lose from the transition to cleaner energy.
According to the Fund, after all, men risk finding themselves out of work as countries close down dirty industries in a push to decarbonise and reach netzero emission targets. “Yet our analysis shows that women are also at risk of losing out over the course of the transition.
That’s because too few women study the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects that are vital to the green jobs of the future.
“Women are much more underrepresented in green jobs, which improve environmental sustainability or reduce greenhouse gas emissions, than in polluting jobs, those in industries with per-worker emissions in the top five percent of polluters.
“While most workers work in neutral jobs, that gap is important because green jobs, which already employ one in 10 workers, are poised for much faster employment growth as the world shifts toward a sustainable economy,” IMF said.
It noted, for example, that just six per cent of women, who work in advanced economies, held green jobs, compared to over 20 per cent of working men. “Green jobs employ an even lower share of women in emerging market and developing economies.
“This is significant because green jobs command a substantial wage premium over other jobs in the economy, even after accounting for workers’ education and experience, as our calculations based on several representative countries show.
“In Colombia, for example, the wage premium is 9 percent for men and 16 percent for women. This wage premium highlights another reason women stand to lose out: they may be missing out on higher-paying opportunities,” the blog stated.
The global lender further hinted that the gender gap in STEM education was one of the biggest barriers to women getting green jobs. The Fund said: “These skills are essential for engineering, renewable energy, and technology sectors that drive innovation.
But women remain underrepresented in STEM fields despite making significant progress in higher education. “Women account for less than a third of STEM gradu – ates in many countries, leav – ing them less prepared for green jobs that will shape the future labor market.
Without targeted efforts to increase such participation, the green transition may worsen workforce gender inequality.
“Addressing the underrepresentation of women in green jobs has significant economic and environmental consequences. Countries with a bigger share of STEM-educated workers and stronger gender equality policies tend to have steeper reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate policies.
“Emissions intensity in these countries is 2 to 4 per – centage points lower, our re – search shows. STEM educa – tion drives green innovation and gives workers the skills they need for green jobs.”
