BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. The shift towards a green economy will necessitate enhanced labor mobility and the establishment of conditions for professional retraining and adaptation, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sahil Babayev said during the opening of the third day of the international conference at Baku Climate Action Week, Trend reports.
The minister highlighted that research demonstrates the shift to a green economy will substantially affect the labor market by generating new employment opportunities while concurrently instigating fundamental changes in conventional sectors like oil and gas extraction.
"The speed and quality of this transformation will largely depend on the preparation of skilled professionals and the effectiveness of labor management. Furthermore, digitalization and the advancement of new technologies will lead to the emergence of new forms of employment, accelerate changes in the labor market, create new professions, and cause existing skills to become obsolete. This will require increased labor mobility and the creation of conditions for professional retraining and adaptation," he said.
He noted that safeguarding the labor and social rights of individuals is an essential component of the human capital development framework in the transition to a green economy.
"As in other countries, this issue is of particular significance for Azerbaijan. According to international organizations, substantial changes in the structure of national wealth have been observed in many developed countries in recent years," he added.
The minister also pointed out that the social protection system needs to be flexible enough to adjust to changing circumstances and help with the shift to a green economy.
"Azerbaijan, despite regional and global challenges, continues to strive for the improvement of its citizens' welfare, identifying this as a priority task. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, policies aimed at building a strong social state are being implemented. Key elements of this policy include expanding the coverage and targeting of social programs, simplifying access to social services, and introducing innovative technologies in the delivery of social services, which enables effective assistance to low-income families," he concluded.
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