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ETI welcomes the proposal from civil society for the Belém Action Mechanism on Just Transition, and calls upon Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to put this at the centre of negotiations at COP30 in Brazil.
Just transition in global climate policy making
Originally developed by the trade union movement in the 1970s and 1980s, the central role of just transition in global climate policy was cemented with its inclusion in the 2015 Paris climate change agreement. The preamble to the agreement compels its signatories – 195 nation states and the EU – to take into account, “the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities”. In 2016, the ILO published its just transition guidelines to support policy makers to bring just transitions into government decision making. At COP26 in Glasgow, the Just Transition Declaration was signed, and the following year at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, the UAE Just Transition Work Programme was agreed.
In this way – through negotiations at successive COPs, and through collaboration between the ILO, the UNFCCC, and their respective member organisations and observer constituencies – just transition has gained momentum in climate policy making.
What is the Belém Action Mechanism for a global just transition?
Whilst multiple definitions of just transition abound, one provided by the ILO is particularly helpful, “Greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind”. This puts decent work at the heart of just transition, thereby reaffirming the centrality of workers’ rights, and aligns with the UN’s Agenda 2030 commitment to leave no-one behind.
Definitions are important, they help support consistent understanding of the concepts being used – the ‘what’. However, the next big, probably bigger, question, is ‘how’ – how do we make a just transition a reality? And this is where the BAM comes in. It aims to provide a “coherent, practical, and actionable framework”, and it includes an unwavering commitment to the ‘just’ part of just transition:
“the BAM provides the missing coordination, clarity, and support needed to ensure Just Transition initiatives are equitable, inclusive and adequately funded.” (CAN International, Women and Gender Constituency)
Why is this important?
The proposal for the BAM has been led by two influential UNFCCC observer constituencies – Climate Action Network and the Women and Gender Constituency. Their analysis is that:
“despite this growing momentum around Just Transition worldwide, current approaches remain fragmented, uneven, and often lack alignment with broader climate objectives or dismiss fundamental aspects, such as those related to labour. They vary significantly in scope, design, and implementation, and are often poorly contextualized.”
The constituencies note that this has led to increased risk of duplication, confusion, and poor outcomes on social equity, and a failure to meet the needs of those most impacted by transition. This analysis chimes with our assessment at ETI. As discussed elsewhere, we’re concerned about the risk of just transitions facing the same fate as ‘sustainability’ or ‘empowerment’, and becoming another fuzzword or buzzword.
At ETI we have been working with our tripartite members to share experiences and expertise on how just transitions can be operationalised within global supply chains, bringing together the collective wisdom of company, trade union and civil society members. This includes addressing the real-world climate impacts already facing workers – such as heat stress, flooding, and changes to agricultural practices – and examining how transitions – such as regenerative agriculture, circular business models – impact workers too. We recognise that there is no single fail-safe recipe for just transition: just transitions will look different in different places and among different stakeholders.
What does the BAM offer?
The BAM has been designed with several core functions. Firstly, it aims to provide a shared framework and common vocabulary on just transitions. Secondly, it aims to enable and support greater coordination and coherence between actors working on just transitions at national, regional and international levels – enabling these actors to learn from one another and avoid duplication. Thirdly, it will support knowledge exchange between policy makers, practitioners and other specialists. And finally, it will seek to matchmake between initiatives, funders, and specialists providing support and technology. The BAM will be based on the just transition principles and guidance currently being developed within the ILO led just transitions work programme. As explained by CAN and WGC,
“The BAM moves the Just Transition agenda beyond fragmented initiatives toward a coordinated, ambitious, and actionable global effort that links justice, climate ambition, and sustainable development.”
Social dialogue – the process of workers, employers and governments engaging together – will be critical to the success of all of this. Without workers’ voices, there can be no justice in transition.
Rebuilding confidence in multilateral action
We are acutely aware that global cooperation on climate and human rights is under strain. Multilateralism is faltering, yet it remains our best chance to deliver the scale of transformation needed. The BAM represents a chance to restore confidence in international collaboration – showing that coordination and justice go hand in hand.
A call for leadership at COP30
Our work with company members demonstrates not only that international and multistakeholder collaboration can work, but also that the responsible business community is hungry for guidance and examples of what just transitions in enterprise and global supply chains means in practice. An enabling environment at global and national levels is crucial in providing a coherent and consistent framework to ensure just transitions initiatives stay true to the original spirit of the concept. The BAM provides an opportunity to identify and consolidate good practice, share this, and support forward-looking business to implement this in their own operations and supply chains – supported by an enabling environment of policy and investment led by government.
ETI was founded on a commitment to shared principes and collective action to promote and safeguard human rights in global supply chains. Just transitions sit at the heart of our organisational strategy. This powerful concept recognises that climate justice and social justice are inextricably linked – we cannot achieve one without the other.
As the UK prepares for COP30, we urge Secretary of State Ed Miliband and the UK Government to reclaim Britain’s reputation as a climate leader. Supporting the Belém Action Mechanism would send a clear signal that the UK remains committed to international cooperation, fairness, and the protection of workers’ rights in the green transition.
The BAM provides the opportunity to shift the needle from aims into action. We urge the UK Government’s COP30 team to get behind the Belém Action Mechanism at COP30 in Brazil.