Boston’s climate jobs blueprint reveals the complex reality of defining “green work”

What exactly makes a job “green”? That seemingly simple question is proving surprisingly complex as cities rush to build workforces capable of meeting ambitious climate goals. New research from Northeastern University’s Dukakis Center, commissioned by Boston to support its Climate Action Plan, reveals the nuanced reality behind green job creation.

The challenge lies in the murky boundaries of environmental work. Consider an auto mechanic—fixing gas-guzzling cars hardly seems climate-friendly, but as electric vehicles proliferate, these same workers increasingly service clean transportation. Similarly, HVAC technicians might install traditional gas furnaces one day and energy-efficient heat pumps the next. “These examples show some of the murkiness of figuring out what a green job is,” explains Professor Joan Fitzgerald, who led the research.

Using a massive dataset of hundreds of millions of job postings, researchers discovered that Boston’s path to carbon neutrality by 2050 requires both entirely new green occupations and “greening” existing roles through updated skills. Construction workers need training in energy-efficient building codes, electricians must learn EV charger installation, and countless other professions require climate-relevant expertise.

The resulting Climate Ready Workforce Action Plan addresses a critical gap in environmental policy. “Climate plans are like a jigsaw puzzle, and the last piece to be put in place often is workforce development,” Fitzgerald notes. Boston’s comprehensive approach—analyzing job growth projections, skill requirements, and training gaps—provides a replicable model for other cities grappling with the practical challenge of turning climate ambitions into employment reality.