There are jobs and livelihoods affected by the green transition. What do we do about the impact on these workers?

The impact on workers matters because Christian ethics refuses to pit “the planet” against “people.” That is a false choice. In Genesis, God puts humanity in the garden “to work it and keep it,” so labour is dignified, and stewardship is part of our calling from the beginning. (Genesis 2:15) A green transition that lowers emissions but throws workers into poverty, shame, or chronic insecurity would fail the biblical test of justice. Amos says God is not impressed by religious activity that ignores righteousness: “let justice roll down like waters, righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24) Isaiah similarly defines true worship as loosening injustice, freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry, and sheltering the vulnerable. (Isaiah 58:6-7)

So what do we do? We can commit to supporting a just transition in policy and practice. The International Labour Organisation is clear that just transition should be inclusive, create decent work opportunities, reduce inequality, and be grounded in social dialogue and labour rights. It also notes that climate action can unlock major social and economic benefits, including millions of decent jobs, and that the Paris Agreement could yield a net gain of 18 million jobs by 2030. That means workers must not be treated as a cost to be trimmed, but as neighbours to be protected. In practical terms, this includes wage support during transitions, retraining, apprenticeships, job placement, portable benefits, and early consultation with unions, employers, and affected communities.

In Singapore, the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (formerly Skillsfuture) subsidises retraining for a green economy - workers can access subsidised courses in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable finance, carbon management and energy efficiency. Similarly, the agency also offers Career Conversion Programmes to help workers with mid-career switches into other job roles.

Second, churches should model a different imagination. We can advocate for climate solutions that are also pro-worker: energy efficiency retrofits, public transport, renewables, resilient infrastructure, and local green skills training. We can also stand with workers who lose jobs by listening before speaking, helping with practical needs, and refusing to moralise their anxiety. In the Bible, justice is never abstract; it is embodied in bread, shelter, and dignity (Matthew 25:40). We should also seek to educate our members on why it is biblically important to care for creation in this way, so that they are ready to transition.

Finally, remember hope. The goal is not to preserve every old industry forever, nor to romanticise disruption. The goal is to move into a cleaner economy without sacrificing the people Christ commands us to love. Creation care, rightly understood, is the love for our neighbours extended to workers, communities, and the land together. That is part of faithful stewardship under the lordship of Christ.