Greening the economy and TVET in Ethiopia: policy, practice, and skills for sustainable transformation – a viewpoint

Ethiopia has positioned itself as one of Africa’s leading countries in promoting a climate-resilient green economy through policy reform, renewable energy expansion, sustainable agriculture, and greening technical and vocational education and training (TVET). This viewpoint examines the intersection between Ethiopia’s green economy initiatives and the role of TVET in supporting sustainable development and green workforce transformation. Drawing on national policy frameworks, institutional practices, and selected implementation examples, the paper highlights achievements in renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, waste management, urban greening, and green skills development. The paper argues that Ethiopia has established strong policy foundations through the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, Nationally Determined Contributions, and TVET reforms. However, implementation challenges related to financing, infrastructure, institutional coordination, teacher capacity, and industry linkage continue to constrain progress. The article concludes that strengthening green skills development, innovation ecosystems, and institutional collaboration is essential for ensuring inclusive and sustainable green transformation in Ethiopia.