Hastening greening of mindsets and behaviour through TVETs
By Shadrack Agaki, July 28, 2025On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion that set a significant precedent by recognising climate change not only as an ecological threat but also as a human rights issue.
The Advisory Opinion places a legal obligation on states to proactively address climate issues in fulfilment of constitutional rights – enshrined in both national laws and international treaties.
Addressing climate change lies at the heart of global calls for sustainability and greening of economies.
Greening the economy refers to the process of reconfiguring businesses and infrastructure to reduce environmental impacts while enhancing human well-being and promoting social equity.
Greening mindset, on the other hand, seeks to instil a culture of sustainability by influencing attitudes, values, and behaviours toward more environmentally responsible choices.
As countries chart pathways toward sustainable development, a critical question emerges: Can Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions become effective platforms for cultivating green mindsets and behaviour?
This question is timely, especially in light of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2025 Report, which reveals that the world is veering off the track to achieving the 2030 agenda.
In Kenya and across Africa, TVET institutions hold tremendous potential to bridge this gap by equipping youth with both technical skills and core competencies that support green transitions.
With the rollout of modular and dual Competency-Based Curricula, Kenya’s technical institutions are preparing a new generation of skilled, work-ready professionals.
However, there is a growing need to enhance these efforts to ensure that young people are not only prepared for jobs – but also empowered to drive green innovation across sectors.
Consider green plumbing, for example, a discipline that promotes the use of sustainable materials and technologies to minimise environmental impact, reduce energy consumption, and conserve water.
Green plumbing can be integrated with solar-powered small-scale irrigation systems, helping smallholder farmers produce food year-round without fear of prolonged droughts caused by climate change.
Although it may seem like a novel concept, training plumbers, solar installers, and irrigation technicians to integrate sustainability principles represents an evolution – not an invention.
TVET institutions are uniquely positioned to embed sustainability into existing curricula, resocialising both trainers and trainees to adopt environmentally responsible practices.
By applying a systems-thinking approach, we can link green plumbing to innovations such as vertical farming or green wall gardens – initiatives gaining traction across the world to enhance food security and urban greening.
These ideas are ripe for contextual adaptation across African settings.
As TVET institutions work to integrate green practices, benchmarking global best practices while localising solutions can help leapfrog Africa’s economies toward a more sustainable future.
The writer is a UN global food systems Youth Leader, vocational and technical Trainer, and communication Consultant.