Download the final report

Watch the recording of our dialogue on a just transition for all (webinar, 26 May 2021)

In the year when governments were revising their Nationally Determined Contributions per commitments made under the UNFCCC Paris Agreement, the COVID-19 pandemic  forced them to divert resources to look inward at the urgent impacts of the crisis.

The dual imperatives of just transition in NDCs and COVID responses require integrated action that addresses existing issues of equity while building long-term, sustainable strategies and infrastructure to reach net-zero emissions in a virus-free society.

Before the crisis, the just transition concept was perceived as a way to embed participation and equity into climate action. It now offers a lifeline by aiding governments to address the overlapping crises of the COVID-19 economic recovery and climate action.

Our previous project on integrating Just Transition strategies in developing country NDCs:

• exposed the lack of practical information  on how just transition principles can be applied in developing countries;
• found the existing comprehension and information being overwhelmingly developed country-focused  ;
• outlined the need for clear recommendations for developing country  policy-makers to implement just transition strategies;
• produced a reflection paper which influenced governments  such as Chile to update their NDC to include a commitment to a just transition strategy by 2021, and countries such as Andorra embed the core tenets of a Just Transition such as stakeholder participation, education and social protection for disadvantaged groups.

There is an urgent need to adapt the just transition concept to the context of developing countries, providing practical advice and drawing out broader recommendations to integrate into COVID-19 responses by focusing on labour market planning.

This project works with partners in Ghana, Colombia and Indonesia to assess the national context, developing recommendations on integrating just transition strategies into their NDCs and COVID response strategies.

This project aimed to:

• Develop clear and specific recommendations for the regions of Africa, Asia and Latin America  based on in-depth case studies  of a selected country in each region, to enable the integration of just transition strategies into NDCs and COVID responses.
• Create links between donors and the just transition  , indicating the need for governments in developing countries to reform labour markets and creating links with policy-makers.
• Work with in-country partners to bring together key stakeholders  with governments to establish relationships essential for long-term integrated transition planning.
• Focus on inclusion of informal workers  , who are currently absent from just transition dialogues and remain unprotected in state COVID response packages, yet make up a significant proportion of developing country labour markets.

Final report

• Incorporating just transition strategies into developing countries NDCs and Covid-19 responses. Comparing insights from Ghana, Colombia and Indonesia

In-country reports

• Colombia
• Indonesia
• Ghana

Additional resources

• Indonesia’s Long-Term Strategy for Low Carbon and Climate Resilience 2050 (includes a section on Just Transition following engagement with the project’s local research partner, Dala Institute)
• Media Coverage: How emerging economies can engage in a just transition (Energy Monitor)
• Download this brief for a quick overview. (February 2021)

This project was lead by Climate Strategies, in partnership with Dala Institute (Indonesia), Fedesarollo (Colombia), the University of Ghana (Ghana) and Stockholm Environment Institute.