Fostering a just transition

What the ILO does for a just transition

The shift to a green economy must be a just transition with decent work.

The ILO emphasizes the interconnectedness of environmental sustainability, decent work, and social justice amid the triple planetary crises. Climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss threaten decent work and sustainable development, posing challenges alongside global employment opportunities.

The ILO advocates for a just transition, fostering environmentally sustainable economies inclusively, with a commitment to creating decent work, reducing inequality, and ensuring that no one is left behind (ILC Resolution 2023). Leveraging the ILO’s endorsed Just Transition Guidelines and collaborating with partners, the organization assists countries in formulating and implementing comprehensive just transition policies. These policies aim to maximize employment benefits from climate actions, offer skills for green jobs, extend social protection, and facilitate inclusive social dialogue for broad-based support.

Here’s an overview of ILO contributions:

Climate Action 4 Jobs

The Climate Action for Jobs Initiative, led by the ILO and endorsed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, seamlessly integrates climate action with the promotion of decent work. This initiative assists countries in embedding just transition principles into their climate policies, including the Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement. It acts as a catalyst for global knowledge and advocacy on just transition, bringing together diverse allies such as governments, social partners, UN agencies, and multilateral development banks (MDBs).

United Nations Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)

UN PAGE places sustainability at the forefront of economic policymaking, with five UN agencies (UNEP, UNDP, ILO, UNIDO, and UNITAR) offering policy guidance, assessments, capacity building, and analytical tools. This collaborative effort assists partner countries in transitioning to an inclusive green economy. Recognized for its cohesive support in attaining Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement targets, PAGE, launched in 2013, operates in 22 countries. Through assessments, policy support, and training over 31,000 people, it fosters economic growth while enhancing well-being, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

Supporting Resilient Livelihoods, Food Security and Climate Adaption in Yemen - Joint Programme (ERRY III)

The ILO, in partnership with donors EU and Sweden, is engaged in the third phase of the Supporting Resilient Livelihoods, Food Security, and Climate Adaptation in Yemen programme (ERRY III). Launched in March 2022, this initiative focuses on enhancing the resilience and self-reliance of crisis-affected communities in Yemen, with a special emphasis on vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and internally displaced persons. The programme, a collaborative effort involving FAO, UNDP, and WFP, supports livelihoods, food security, and climate adaptation, benefiting approximately 847,000 people and contributing to rebuilding lives and fostering peace in Yemen.

Bryan’s story: Advocating for a just transition to a green economy

Growing up amidst pollution in Houston

Bryan Parras, an environmental justice advocate from Houston, Texas, describes his upbringing in the midst of heavy pollution generated by oil refineries and chemical plants near the Houston Ship Channel. The landscape, dominated by industrial facilities, exposed him to health issues like asthma in the 1980s, a period when the detrimental effects of the oil and gas industry on public health were largely ignored.

Personal transformation and environmental justice advocacy

Parras’ health challenges and desire for change led him to environmental justice work. Initially a volunteer, he now works full-time at the Sierra Club, contributing to the Dirty Fuels and Healthy Communities campaigns. His commitment to amplifying the voices of vulnerable communities reflects a belief in bottom-up organizing, emphasizing that those most affected often hold valuable insights and solutions. As a passionate advocate, Parras aims to halt further fossil fuel exploration and development, advocating for a transition to a greener economy and ensuring support for workers in the industry.

A path to a greener future and global urgency

Looking ahead, Parras envisions Houston prioritizing the cleanup of its environmental mess. While advocating for a transition to clean energy, he underscores the importance of addressing existing pollution legacies, such as brownfield Superfund sites and abandoned oil wells. Parras urges global leaders at COP26 to exhibit courage, emphasizing the need for legally binding agreements to ensure accountability in combating climate change. He believes in humanity’s adaptive capacity, drawing parallels with the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and emphasizes the shared responsibility of protecting the planet for future generations.

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