Nurturing Green Dreams: The Bright Prospects for Young Environmental Professionals

When I started in environmental consultancy in 1990, there was a sense that it was a completely new industry at the beginning of its creation. Over a period of a few years I wanted to select which of the environmental sectors I wanted to specialise in, that would give me the opportunity over an extended period of time to make a difference whilst also opening-up the possibility of travelling around the world.

There was indeed a world of opportunity at that time. I had to decide whether to get involved in energy sector issues, water sector issues, industrial pollution control, environmental impact assessment, or what eventually turned out to be my profession in the waste and resources management sector.

My selection to specialise in that sector was a tactical one. I believed at that time that someone like me could make a difference. I was also sure that with a bit of knowledge and some further studying, I would find the opportunity to travel and work that I so longed for. If I was starting my career now, and having to make this choice again, I’m sure I would arrive at a different decision. The low hanging fruit opportunities for making a difference have changed over time, as have I.

In the last 30 to 35 years it has become apparent that the world is facing the triple environmental threat of climate change, plastic pollution, and loss of biodiversity. At the same time the environmental services industry has grown, differentiated and specialised, businesses have become much more sensitive to their green credentials, and there is more coordinated action between countries.

Whilst I have placed focus in my career on public policy at the international, national and local levels, nowadays I remind myself that real change must be catalysed from the bottom up. At its origin, the environmental movement began as a protest movement for change. Only after dedicated action and lobbying were these issues taken up in public policy discourse, and mainstreamed into common sense and subsequent regulations.

Supranational bodies like the EU and the United Nations, international development and financing organisations, and global-outreach NGOs have helped to secure a place for environmental issues on the top-table. However, building sustainability in our communities and economies starts with us as individuals, families and community members.

The environmental capacity building project, Environment for Cyprus, is dedicated to supporting such a bottom-up movement for change from within the Cypriot community of environmental professionals and activists. There are many things that can be worked on together, some of which will generate benefits in the short term, some that can catalyse greater attention of policy makers, and others which will lay the foundation for future thinking and concerted action.

As I approach the end of my career, my mind turns towards the need for a new generation of environmental professionals to take up the reins and work towards a more sustainable future.

The prospects for young professionals are not only promising, but essential for Cyprus. From designing innovative solutions to sustainability challenges, new ‘servitised’ circular business models for consumer products, using artificial intelligence to monitor ecosystems, guiding businesses to align with global ESG standards, closing organics loops for food safety and security, and designing nature positive development; there are abundant opportunities to get involved and make a difference.

We need the next generation to build upon and intensify the efforts to date, and for that they need to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and experience they need. Exciting opportunities exist for those young people, who have the commitment and determination to succeed in the environmental sustainability sector.