- New data shows that C40 mayors are delivering on the pledge made at the 2022 World Mayors Summit
- 21m good green jobs now exist in the 81 cities assessed across all sectors of the economy, with the highest numbers of green jobs in waste management, construction, transport, and energy
London, UK (28 October 2025) – New data released today shows C40 cities are now home to 21 million good, green jobs, putting C40 mayors firmly on track to deliver their target of driving the creation of 50 million such jobs by 2030.
The latest milestone, announced ahead of the 2025 C40 World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro next week, shows how city-led climate action is not only cutting emissions but driving inclusive economic growth and improving lives.
C40 Cities, a group of nearly 100 of the world’s largest cities united in tackling the climate crisis in a just and equitable way. Those living and working in C40 cities – over 900 million people – account for almost half of global GDP. From transforming homes, schools, and workplaces so they’re energy-efficient, to delivering state-of-the-art clean public transport systems that improve the air we breathe, and making neighbourhoods more resilient to the worst impacts of climate change, mayors are already using their powers to create green jobs and make these opportunities accessible for all.
C40 defines good green jobs as jobs that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect nature and improve well-being. They provide fair wages, safe working conditions, and stable employment. This shows how addressing the climate crisis can improve lives, create opportunities and deliver on people’s immediate needs.
The commitment to deliver 50 million good green jobs was first made at the 2022 C40 World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires. This 2025 update is being released as mayors prepare to meet again in Rio de Janeiro, this time against the backdrop of record-breaking heat, escalating climate impacts and a shifting geopolitical landscape.
Despite these challenges, mayors from C40 cities have driven forward climate action that is contributing to:
- Create over 13.5 million direct green jobs, including roles in renewable energy, clean construction, and sustainable transport.
- Sustain 7.6 million indirect green jobs in supply chains supporting the green economy.
- Deliver tangible benefits to local residents, particularly in sectors where cities hold the most power to act, including waste management, transportation, construction and energy.
C40 mayors continue to demonstrate that urban climate action creates more jobs than business-as-usual approaches, and continued investing in workforce development programmes makes these opportunities accessible for all.
Mayor of London and Co-Chair of C40 Cities, Sadiq Khan, said: “Helping to create good, well-paid green jobs is one of the most powerful things we can do to build a fairer, greener and more resilient future. I’m proud that C40 cities are turning ambition into action, proving that climate leadership at the city level delivers real results, especially for our most vulnerable communities.
“As we look ahead to COP30, we must build on this momentum. Cities are leading the way, but we can’t do it alone. We need national governments and financial institutions to step up in the same way cities have and invest in the skills and jobs that will help to power a sustainable transition for all.”
Today’s new report, ‘Global Good Green Jobs in C40 Cities’, developed by C40 Cities in partnership with Circle Economy, tracks green employment across 81 global megacities. The findings confirm that city-led climate action is contributing to increased economic opportunities by creating jobs for residents. More than 10% of all employment in these cities is now green, with mayors accelerating investments in:
- Waste management: 80% of jobs in the sector are now green as cities achieve universal waste collection and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
- Transport: 32% green jobs, driven by public transit expansion and electrification.
- Construction: 22% green jobs, fuelled by building decarbonisation.
- Energy: 28% green jobs, reflecting rapid shifts to clean power.
Green jobs are also growing faster than total employment, demonstrating the economic dividends of ambitious city action. Importantly, approximately 80% of total jobs are not currently ‘green’, but have the potential to become green jobs in the future as different industries undergo electrification, powering their operations with renewable energy, reducing waste, or other sustainable practices.
Mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes said: “The City of São Paulo has recently been recognized as a global reference in green job creation and the implementation of innovative environmental policies. This is an area that motivates us and to which the City Hall of São Paulo devotes significant efforts.
“A prominent example is Sampa+Rural, the largest urban agriculture program in Brazil, which successfully integrates agriculture, healthy food, and ecotourism, while also supporting local livelihoods. Launched in 2022, the programme has already identified and fostered more than 4,100 initiatives related to agriculture, ecotourism, and healthy food systems in the city.”
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities said: “This is exactly the kind of leadership the world needs right now.
“While others talk, mayors are delivering tangible, measurable progress that builds a fairer, greener future. Cities are at the centre of driving a just transition, and these jobs are proof that climate action benefits people and local economies.”
Ivonne Bojoh, CEO of Circle Economy said: “It’s wonderful to see the scope of the green jobs study expand to include more cities globally, particularly those in India.
“There is still more work to be done to accelerate the transition across sectors and boost employment, not only in the core areas of the green economy, such as repair, waste infrastructure and management, sustainable energy, and public transport, but also in the supporting sectors that uphold them.
“In future iterations of this important global report, I hope to see more cities engage with this initiative and share their employment data. I also look forward to more public–private initiatives that drive good, green jobs, supported by financial institutions enabling innovative and pioneering entrepreneurs to build green businesses, and by education systems preparing the next generations for a regenerative economy.”
However, the data also underscores gender and equity gaps that are still being addressed: men currently hold around 60% of green jobs globally, with women concentrated in the healthcare and education sectors, for example, which are essential for the green economy, though often under-recognised. The distribution of jobs amongst young workers reflects the same structural gender divide. Informal workers, who make up more than 60% of employment globally, are also essential in the green transition and it is key to ensure that they have decent working conditions. Addressing these gaps and also expanding opportunities for young people will be critical to realising the full economic and social potential of the green transition.
There are already many examples of cities already building equity into their drive towards green jobs including London training 6,500 workers through the city’s Green Skills Academy, Freetown’s creating more than 1,000 green jobs through the “Treetown” urban reforestation initiative, scaling up solar energy installation in informal settlements in Rio de Janeiro, empowering informal workers in Quezon City to improve their protections and working conditions and expand their roles in green sectors, and preparing the workforce to meet the demand for jobs in the rapid transition to electric transportation in Philadelphia.
Mayor Joy Belmonte of Quezon City said: “Quezon City is determined to build a greener and more inclusive economy where no one is left behind.
“Through our Executive Order on Good Green Jobs and our ordinance on the informal economy, we are embedding fairness and opportunity into climate action, ensuring that decent, green livelihoods are accessible to marginalized populations, especially informal workers.
“By combining bold policy with strong data systems, we are proud to partner with C40 in charting progress towards a future where climate ambition creates dignity, equity, and resilience for all.”
Brian Motherway, Head of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transitions at the International Energy Agency said: “With the right investments in clean energy and skills training, energy transitions can be a major driver of employment opportunities.
“This research reminds us that cities play a central role in ensuring that, at the local level, energy education and training is accessible and leads to decent employment in energy occupations that are high in demand.
“We look forward to continuing to work with leading mayors, alongside national governments, industry, trade unions and other key stakeholders to ensure fair and inclusive energy transitions for workers and communities.”
Moustapha Kamal Gueye, Director of Priority Action Programme on just transitions at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said: “Climate action is not just an environmental imperative, it is a core issue of social justice, and green jobs are an essential element of a just transition – as this research shows.
“Cities can be essential allies of national governments, businesses and workers, in promoting social dialogue and ensuring these jobs meet fundamental labour standards.
“We appreciate this solid commitment from the world’s largest cities, as well as the involvement of C40 Cities in the Global Coalition for Social Justice, and we look forward to continuing working together towards a truly just transition.”
Despite this impressive progress, mayors are aware that there is still much work to be done to deliver their 50 million good green jobs commitment by 2030. Therefore, at the World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro, opening a historical COP30, with a clear focus on moving from negotiation to implementation, C40 mayors will call for coordinated action to scale up finance for city-led climate action, strengthen skills training and just transition measures, close the gender and inclusion gaps in green employment and recognise cities’ central role in driving global climate and economic progress.