Building climate careers through open learning

📘 If I were starting my sustainability career in 2025, here’s exactly what I’d do, step by step: I get asked this all the time: “Where do I even begin?” “Do I need a Masters?” “How do I stand out in a competitive job market?” Here’s what I’d do, no fluff, just a simple process: Step 1️⃣ – Pick your niche Don’t try to do it all. Focus. → Carbon? Circular economy? Nature? Sustainable buildings? Choose one area that actually interests you and start there. Step 2️⃣ – Learn the basics (properly) No need to get a degree, but you do need competence. → Sign up to an upskilling programme (link in comments) → Learn the frameworks: GHG Protocol, LCA, ESG, B Corp, CDP, etc. Step 3️⃣ – Build something You need to show what you’ve learned. → Create a simple case study, blog post, emissions audit, or slide deck → Volunteer for a local org or help a small business track their footprint Action > Theory. Step 4️⃣ – Optimise your CV + LinkedIn Most people just list buzzwords. → Instead, highlight what you’ve done → Use keywords (GHG, ESG, carbon, lifecycle, etc.) that employers search for → Don’t forget a simple, clear summary of your value Step 5️⃣ – Start showing up → Post what you’re learning → Comment on others’ content → Reach out to people working in your target space → Ask good questions, join events, follow UK sustainability trends Step 6️⃣ – Apply with intent → Choose roles/companies that align with your niche → Write applications that speak to their mission + language → Track what works, refine, repeat No one’s asking for perfection. But they are looking for people who take initiative, think critically, and show up. There’s never been a better time to build a career in sustainability, especially here in the UK. 🌱 If you’re taking the first step right now, I’d love to hear what it is, drop it below!

Read this if you’re new to climate work and looking for a job 🙏🏼 When I first stepped into climate and sustainability, it felt like learning a new language. There was jargon. There were models. And there were moments when I thought I would never catch up. I’m still learning. Every single day. But over time, I’ve found a few practical steps that keep me on track with my learning. If you’re starting out whether you want to consult, invest, research, or build solutions consider this a roadmap you can adapt: Step 1: Build your own content library Skip random blogs. Go straight to the sources real practitioners use. Here are 10 you can start with: 1. IEA Net Zero Roadmap – Global decarbonisation trajectories 2. IFC Climate Business Reports – Financing mechanisms & case studies 3. World Bank Climate Action Plans – Policy trends and priorities 4. Climate Policy Initiative – Sectoral investment pathways 5. Ellen MacArthur Foundation – Circular economy frameworks 6. UNEP Emissions Gap Report – Global progress and shortfalls 7. CDP Reports – Corporate disclosure data on emissions and risks 8. Project Drawdown – Solutions catalogue for mitigation 9. WRI Climate Watch – Data and tools for national policies 10. TNFD & TCFD Guidelines – Climate and nature-related financial disclosures Step 2: Use NotebookLM to learn actively I upload PDFs into NotebookLM (Google’s AI reading tool) to: – Summarise documents (earlier my biggest hurdle to learning well was taking a very long time on reports - a fact that used to kill my enthusiasm to learn) – Generate mind maps to see the big picture – Listen to audio summaries while walking – Ask clarifying questions in plain language This helps me move from skimming to understanding. Step 3: Test your understanding with ChatGPT Once I have the basics down, I go to ChatGPT to challenge myself through the Socratic approach of learning. If you’d like to try this, here’s a #prompt you can adapt: “You are my climate strategy tutor. Please use a Socratic approach: don’t give me direct answers upfront. Instead, ask me open-ended questions to test my understanding, probe why I think certain ideas matter, encourage me to explain concepts in my own words, and share small hypothetical cases for me to respond to. Help me notice gaps or inconsistencies in my reasoning, and only after several rounds of questioning, offer clarifications or feedback. Keep the tone supportive and focused on building my independent thinking.” You don’t have to know everything before you start. But having a method to learn and re-learn. It makes all the difference. I’m still figuring this out too 🙂 If you’ve found other ways to learn deeply in climate or sustainability, I’d love to hear. #ClimateCareers #LearningInPublic #Sustainability #ImpactWork

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞? Here is the smart way to approach retraining👇👇 Feeling overwhelmed about where to start with your transition into a climate-focused career? You’re not alone. Many mid-career professionals struggle with balancing their desire for impact with the uncertainty of how to pivot. Here’s the good news: you don’t need to invest big money or time upfront. Start small, iterate quickly, and learn as you go. 💡 Here’s a roadmap to get you moving: 1️⃣ Start with Criteria Clarity. Before diving into specific roles, think about what you want in your next chapter. Most jobs in the climate space won’t even be on your radar yet, so focusing on one specific job title is limiting. Instead, get clear on your personal criteria (e.g., values alignment, impact, skills used, sense of self in your new role). 2️⃣ Experiment with Short Courses. Think of this as rapid prototyping for your career. Taking quick, free courses helps you explore what resonates with your interests and meets some of your criteria—without a big time or financial commitment. The goal is to gain insights fast, then decide whether to pivot or persevere. 3️⃣ Combine Learning with Action. Take these courses in parallel to reaching out for informational and exploratory interviews. Platforms like Open Door Climate are full of professionals eager to share their experiences and guide you. To help you get started, I’ve created a carousel with 5 + 10 free, fast, and highly relevant courses to build your climate literacy in less than a week. Each course touches on a critical area, from regenerative agriculture to the circular economy, and gives you a chance to explore potential fits. And they (nearly) all have a cohort associated with them, to help build your network too. Know a course I should add? Comment below—I’d love to hear your recommendations! Remember: Action beats analysis every time. Start small, iterate, and adapt. Your perfect role might be closer than you think—if you take the first step today.

Ready for a new career resource? I'm often asked by students for help making sense of #climate career paths. There's so much work to be done! What does a "climate job" look like? Who's hiring? In partnership with Project Drawdown, we've published a new ClimateCAP career roadmap. Start with the climate action you care about most--investing in solutions? reducing emissions directly? advancing climate policy?--and then take a look at our breakdown of possible career paths. We'd love feedback and suggestions for future iterations! This landscape is always changing.

𝗦𝗼, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆? 🌱 You’re not alone - and that’s the challenge The space is heating up (in all senses), so here’s what I recommend 👇 🎧 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 My go-to podcasts for climate & sustainability learning: → Outrage + Optimism → The Climate Question from the BBC → First Mile | Certified B Corp's Climate Heroes → Sustainability Uncovered by edie → Planet: Critical → Straight Talking Sustainability by Emma Burlow → The Sustainability Agenda by Fergal Byrne 🌍 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 Check out the companies in these networks: → Impact Hustlers (community + podcast) → Unreasonable Group → Tech Nation's Net Zero cohorts → The Chivas Venture 📬 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗮 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 Getting hired at mission-driven orgs is competitive So you've got to make your email *personal* (no ChatGPT here!) → Why are you committing your life to this? → How does sustainability align with your personal brand and values? → How do you live sustainability yourself? → What specifically excites you about this role or company? 🧠 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 If you’re in marketing, product, comms or community, you need to become a pro at behavioural psychology Because sustainability isn’t just about “raising awareness” & selling stuff It’s about changing behaviour And that's really, really hard Start with: 📚 Nudge, Atomic Habits, Hooked 🎧 Nudge, The Behavioral Design Podcast, Choiceology, Hidden Brain 🧑💼 Connect with these recruiters → Mission Driven Talent → Rebel Recruiters → Above & Beyond - Climate Tech Recruitment → SR2 | Socially Responsible Recruitment | Certified B Corporation™ → Big Future 💻 Check out these job boards → Escape the City → jobsthatmatter → Tech Jobs for Good And here's a v helpful Notion page with many more resources curated by Nicole Kelner - https://lnkd.in/eEm5HuYJ 🚨 And finally… remember this: The climate crisis is an emergency There’s no such thing as “not qualified” - because we need to reinvent every single part of our economy and society Whatever your skillset - product, ops, finance, sales, data, HR, tech - it can be put to good use, because it needs to be all hands on deck 💡 PS Remember, you may not need to move company - perhaps you can have the biggest climate impact exactly where you are... ♻️ If you found this useful, give it a share. And pop any other helpful resources in the comments, including if you're hiring -------------------------------------- Follow Tessa Clarke 💚 for more straight talking on scaling startups & sustainability 🖐️ Wish your company redistributed its surplus food to local communities?  Find out how with Olio • Share More, Waste Less

I've heard from thousands of green jobseekers that feel “stuck” in their journey to work on climate, with the four most common barriers being:  🤝 Lack of personal connections in the industry 🛠 Uncertainty on transferring skills 👷♀️ Lacking direct experience in the field 🔍 Challenges finding organizations or roles that align with interests   Last year, I hosted a mini-series of the Degrees Podcast called ‘The Year of the Climate Job.’ Each episode dissects these barriers and shares ways to overcome them. Here is the full series, along with key takeaways: 🤝 Lack of personal connections in the industry Episode: How to network for a green job with purpose-driven LinkedIn expert Nick Martin - https://lnkd.in/eNP6FJ9e Takeaways: - Browse the #OpenDoorClimate Directory to find climate professionals willing to connect and chat https://lnkd.in/gSf727gi - Use LinkedIn to build relationships with people you admire and contribute content yourself 🛠 Uncertainty on transferring skills Episode: Transfer your skills to a green job with Work on Climate’s Eugene Kirpichov - https://lnkd.in/ecjggq_V Takeaways: - Try to connect with people in jobs that you want to understand what skills they use day-to-day - Take stock of your own skills and remember that climate-focused companies need traditional skills 👷♀️ Lacking direct experience in the field Episode: Learn how to build your climate experience with Terra.do founder Anshuman Bapna - https://lnkd.in/e2tKYnTQ Takeaways: - Consider courses or certification programs that incorporate case studies or capstone projects - Try pitching yourself for freelance or project-based work or volunteerism 🔍 Challenges finding organizations or roles that align with interests Episode: Taking the mystery out of finding a green job with Green Jobs Board’s Kristy Drutman - https://lnkd.in/eZbJVPwJ Takeaways: - Pair skills with what you’re passionate about when searching general or climate job boards - Follow industry news and analysis hubs to learn about companies and potential roles 🤷♂️ Unsure how to use current job for climate action Episode: How to green any job with Project Drawdown’s Jamie Beck Alexander - https://lnkd.in/eMKVEFPN Takeaways: - Understand the leverage points of existing job functions have to take climate action - Organize with other interested coworkers to brainstorm and come together on issues and action I also recommend checking out the latest season of Degrees from Yesh Pavlik Slenk featuring some incredible guests, including Katharine Hayhoe, Solitaire Townsend, Drew Wilkinson and Shannon Houde,. https://lnkd.in/eba8GBdF

Starting a Career in Climate feels like being lost in the desert. To find water, you must first ignore everyone telling you this 👇 We all know the people who tell you. → If you try hard enough, it’ll work. → Just apply for more jobs → It’s a numbers game. → Next week is better. Ignore all those words. Here’s what you do instead 👇 1️⃣ Fundamentals first Look at the entire climate economy. Pick two sub-sectors. → Start with the solutions map from Climate Drift. → Use the Project Drawdown solution library to drill deeper. Learn everything you can about your 2 sectors. 2️⃣ Find your Transferable Skills Most people completely underestimate their professional skills. Write down the answer to: “What am I really good at and why?” Then find your current job within a climate company. And map your skills to that job. 👉 Share “what you’re really good at” in the comments. I will give feedback + it will inspire others + it will help you become better 💪 3️⃣ Find your Pitch Find somebody doing your “future” job in a climate company. Ask them how they do their job. Pay attention to: → How they describe their work. → What tools do they use. → What KPIs matter. Focus on their words. Learn the language of a climate company in your target sector. And then use that intel to refine your pitch. 👉 Find people to talk to here: → #OpenDoorClimate climate by Daniel Hill has many climate tech execs.  → MCJ Collective by Jason Jacobs, Yin Lu, Leone Baron is one of the best. → Work on Climate by Eugene Kirpichov, Eva Marina, Nicole Sturzenberger is equally great. 4️⃣ Think Skills-Sector Fit. Not Impact. Everyone wants to work on something with a huge CO2 impact. That’s great. BUT Don’t re-invent yourself so you can work in a “big impact” sector. Go where your skills fit best. Where you can actually move the needle. Because the best impact is the impact that happens. Not the impact you keep chasing but never materializes. Use this list to find water in the desert. And make yourself successful 🙌 —— PS. In case you’re wondering ❓Why trust my advice❓ Maybe this helps (slightly blushing as I write this 😳) → I taught 100s of students at the best universities (Harvard, etc.) → Personally helped 1,000s of people transition careers. → Built a 6-figure, 7-figure, and a 8-figure business. → Advising 10+ early stage impact companies. PPS. 👉 If you want help with your career transition? 👈  Here are two options: 👉I’m offering 50 Free 1on1 Career Mentorship sessions (I have 200+ people on the waitlist 🤯) 👉I’m running a 1-day Climate Career Transition Workshop (Links in first comment).

𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 If you’ve ever thought about pivoting into sustainability or simply wondered how your skills could make a difference, this one’s for you. 💡🍃 A sustainability-focused career isn’t just about “green jobs.” It’s about aligning what you do for a living with what the world truly needs right now. From tackling climate risks to driving ESG transformation, sustainability professionals are shaping how organizations adapt, innovate, and stay resilient in a rapidly changing world. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: ➡️ Build your foundation: Degrees in environmental science, sustainable business, or climate policy help BUT curiosity, systems thinking, and the willingness to learn are even more valuable. ➡️ Master key skills: Problem-solving, data analysis, project management, and communication are at the core of every sustainability role. Leadership and regulatory awareness come next. ➡️ Get experience: Volunteer locally, join green initiatives, or intern with sustainability teams. Even small projects like helping an SME measure its carbon footprint can spark real-world learning. ➡️ Stay connected: Engage in sustainability communities, attend webinars, and follow thought leaders. Networking often opens doors long before formal qualifications do. ➡️ Keep learning: ESG reporting, circular economy, renewable energy, and climate resilience are evolving fast continuous learning is non-negotiable. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it’s a good place to start. Sustainability careers are about bridging purpose and performance and no matter your background, there’s space for you in this movement. If you’re just starting out, save this as your career compass. Explore, research, and grow into it the world needs more people who can turn conviction into impact. Share this with someone who’s been thinking about a career change or that one friend who wants to make their work truly matter. Let’s help more people discover the path toward meaningful, sustainable careers. 🤝 📸 Sustemy #planetaryhealth #planetaryboundaries #sustainability #ClimateAction #carbonfootprint #NetZero #ClimateEmergency #SDG #ESG #GHG #netzero #careerdevelopment #greenjobs #ESGcareers #leadership

Everything you need to know about getting a job in Climate 🌍 Distilled into 5 steps. 1️⃣ Find Your Niche "I want to work in climate" is too broad. Climate is massive. Narrow your search to an industry, function, or specific problem that needs solving. Ask: What am I good at? What excites me? Where can I add value fastest? Start broad, figure out what topics you naturally want to learn more about, and then focus there This will accelerate your learning and empower people to give you better recommendations along the way. 2️⃣ Build the Right Network (Two Types of People Matter) Type 1: Door Openers – People already in the roles, industries, or companies you want to join. They help with referrals, advice, and industry insights. Type 2: Fellow Climbers – Other career-switchers who push you, hold you accountable, and share opportunities. (Most people only focus on the first group - big mistake imo) Be proactive: DM people, join climate communities, attend events. 3️⃣ Prove You Belong You don’t need years of Climate experience, you need to show you can add value. Ways to demonstrate credibility: ✅ Document what you're learning and share it online (Linkedin, Substack, personal website) ✅ Create something - do consulting work, write a deep-dive blog post, volunteer with an org you care about ✅ Come prepared to networking / hiring conversations with an informed perspective on the industry Whatever you do, document it and share it so people know what you're up to. 4️⃣ Make It Easy to Hire You The best candidates make saying ‘yes’ easy. Have a clean LinkedIn presence (headline, summary & bio most importantly) that makes it easy for relevant recruiters to find you. Craft a strong elevator pitch that connects your past experience to Climate. Be extremely prompt with follow ups to all interviews and comms with their team. 5️⃣ Be Relentless Breaking into climate isn’t about luck—it’s about persistence. The people who break in fastest treat it like a job before they get the job. Stay consistent with outreach, networking, and learning—momentum compounds. Follow up. Then follow up again. Polite persistence wins. You do those 5 things and I can almost guarantee you'll be successful. -- Want more help? Drop me a follow (Cameron McDonald). I've helped dozens of people break into Climate and I regularly share what I think are the most important things you need to know.

The majority of people want to participate in climate solutions, but don't know how.   Yesterday's post about #opendoorclimate brought a lot of interest and I wanted to share what I have been doing to learn about working on climate change. I always thought you needed a PhD in environmental science to work in climate until I ran across a TikTok last year from Climate People. It turns out that there is a wide variety of jobs and it's very possible to make your existing job a climate job.   Network within your current company to find out if there is anyone doing climate work and ask them if they are willing to speak to you briefly about their job. You can find them on Linkedin by searching your company, toggling for people, then searching terms such as: ESG, climate, & environment.   If you work at a smaller company that might not have an ESG division, you can also do this for companies you are interested in. I find that most people are willing to talk if you ask nicely and make it easy for them.   Join communities for climate work. Some I personally like: 🌍 Work on Climate 🌍 Climate Action Tech - I especially like their networking roulette. It is so motivating to know how many people care about this problem and it gives me amazing perspective on the different types of jobs in climate   Check out what types of jobs exist in the space: 🌍 Climatebase 🌍 Terra.do   Lastly, these job boards also offer immersive fellowships for those seriously interested in climate work. I might be posting more about that later :) That's all I got for now, but if you found this post helpful, head to the comments for links to all of the above resources and more. #myclimatejourney #climate #environment