Geneva:The ongoing crisis in the Middle East is poised to accelerate significant shifts in employment across the Asia-Pacific region as nations aim to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and bolster energy security. This assertion comes from a new brief by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The report highlights that while increased investment in renewable energy, storage, and electrification could yield substantial job opportunities, the resulting employment benefits may not extend to the same workers, sectors, or communities experiencing job losses and restructuring.

According to Wam, the ILO brief titled "The Middle East crisis, energy security and just transition in Asia-Pacific Labour market implications" indicates that disruptions in energy supplies have underscored the region's vulnerability to imported fossil fuels, reinforcing the necessity for energy diversification and resilience. The document outlines policy priorities to ensure these transitions support a just changeover that provides decent work without leaving any workers or communities behind.

The brief recommends integrating employment and social considerations into energy-security and investment strategies from the beginning. It calls for enhanced coordination between energy, industrial, employment, skills, and social protection policies to anticipate job creation, transformation, or loss. Tuomo Poutiainen, ILO Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, emphasized the need for workers, employers, and communities to adapt to these changes and share in their benefits.

The anticipated employment shift is expected to increase demand for roles such as engineers, electricians, construction workers, installers, technicians, and operations and maintenance workers. The brief advocates for reskilling and upskilling in conjunction with employment services, job matching, and mobility support, with a focus on women, young people, and informal workers. It stresses that job quality, including fair wages, working conditions, occupational safety, social protection, and workers' rights, must accompany job creation.

Moreover, the brief highlights the importance of greater social protection coverage to buffer households from rising energy, food, and transport costs and to aid workers through unemployment, retraining, and occupational changes. This is crucial in a region where nearly two-thirds of employment remains informal. Additionally, it calls for targeted support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, stronger regional cooperation, and emphasizes the role of social dialogue between governments and employers' and workers' organizations in addressing employment impacts and skills needs.