Just Transition - COP29 Negotiation Updates

Koren, J. and Rabago, L. 2024. Just Transition - COP29 Negotiation Updates. Blog Post. Montpellier, France: CGIAR System Organization.

The just transition centers on shifting to a low-carbon economy in a way that supports affected workers, communities, and industries, ensuring social equity and environmental sustainability. The IPCC stresses that the just transition requires targeted and proactive measures from government and relevant actors to reduce any negative social, environmental or economic impacts of economy-wide transitions. The just transition means different things to different groups, underscoring the importance of an inclusive, diverse multi-stakeholder approach to categorically ensure no one is left behind. Originating from labor movements in North America in the 1970s, it has developed as a central piece in the energy transition, highlighting the need for fair job creation, worker protections, reskilling, and social dialogue, particularly in sectors heavily impacted by decarbonization, such as coal and other fossil fuels.

First recognized in international climate negotiations and agreements through the COP21 Paris Agreement, the just transition has made notable progress as a key action item for the proceeding COPs. At COP24 in Katowice, the “Silesia Declaration on Solidarity and Just Transition” marked its formal recognition as a concept within the UN climate framework. At COP26 in Glasgow, the momentum continued with the formation of the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs). These partnerships mobilize financing from developed countries to support emerging economies in decarbonizing their energy sectors while promoting social equity.

COP27 world leaders agreed on the Work Programme on Just Transition Pathways and further reinforced commitments to a just transition, emphasizing financing mechanisms and expanded stakeholder engagement to address diverse impacts across regions. Gender was emphasized at COP28 with the Gender-Responsive Just Transitions and Climate Action Partnerships, which currently has 82 signatures.

COP29 will host the second High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on Just Transition, a follow-up to the first, which was held at COP28. An interesting development, if continued from COP28 discussions, will be whether Parties seek to expand the just transition to include other sectors, such as agriculture. COP29 will likely see greater conversations around financing mechanisms for the Just Transition, extending from the COP26 JETPs and COP27 Work Programme. A common theme throughout climate discussions, there will also likely be a continued push for the inclusive involvement of diverse stakeholders, with an emphasis on women, girls and youth, in the negotiation and development of just transition initiatives and financing mechanisms.

COP29 negotiations on just transitions as tracked, analyzed, and reported by Judith Koren and Laura Rabago.