What are Just Transitions?

Societies across Africa are facing different kinds of structural changes. Some of these changes are driven by domestic policy agendas or the localisation of international policy agendas (like SDGs and climate change), whereas others are driven by external factors like technological change, market change, and changing consumer preferences in export destinations, among others. These changes are anticipated in crucial sectors, such as energy, transport, agriculture, waste, urban planning, water management, forestry, and others. 

Some of these changes, or transitions, are intended to benefit society—like the shift to a greener economy. Yet these major socioeconomic changes can be disruptive. In the process of change, some stakeholders or groups may bear higher costs and risks. Even if the process of change results in higher net employment or net economic activity overall, there could be job losses and negative impacts on local economic activities that affect people’s livelihoods. These disruptions can have real impacts on people’s lives, particularly those who are most vulnerable. 

Planning for a “just transition” is about ensuring that structural changes driven by the journey to a more sustainable and green economy are fair, inclusive, and equitable for all—leaving no one behind. This means equitably managing the distribution of the costs and benefits of change, and doing so through a participatory process that includes all affected stakeholders—such as workers, communities, and other vulnerable populations who will be most affected by climate action. The goal of transition planning is to ensure that people whose livelihoods rely on industries that need to be phased out (e.g., coal mining) or transformed (e.g., animal husbandry) do not face unfair burdens during the transition, and to widely share the benefits of these changes and the new economic and livelihood opportunities that follow. 

The pursuit of a just transition means placing dialogue and consultation at the heart of policymaking. In practice, this means that decision makers actively engage with a wide range of stakeholders to co-develop the vision for transition and for future socio-economic development, and in the preparation of Just Transition plans or similar frameworks that are intended to guide decisions, rather than making decisions in a top-down manner. 

What are the goals of this Masterclass series?

The Masterclass series aims to strengthen planning skills and equip participants with tools to navigate transitions to a low-carbon economy. Attendees are delving into strategies to maximise positive impacts from transitions, while effectively mitigating and equitably distributing any negative effects from these changes. Throughout the series, attendees discuss relevant case studies to link theory to practice, providing concrete examples that demonstrate diverse approaches to planning.   

The Just Transition Planning Masterclass aims to support participants with building multi-stakeholder networks of actors committed to planning just transitions. The Masterclass provides an opportunity for policymakers to collaborate across ministries and connect with key civil society organisations, experts, climate funds and other development partners. 

The Just Transition Planning Masterclass Series for Policy Makers included four webinars and an in-person workshop for selected participants in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Namibia. Before each webinar, participants received a short document, or ‘pre-read,’ that provided context for the topics discussed. This section includes links to the pre-reads and other resources, divided by each masterclass title. 

Webinar 1:

Introducing transitions and their impacts (29th May 2024).

Aim: Explore socio-economic impacts and develop a strong understanding of just transition principles.

Pre-read available here.

Webinar 2:

Assessing the impacts of transitions (26th June 2024).

Aim: Understand the tools available to assess transition impacts and identify the best methods for transition planning.

Pre-read available here.

Webinar 3:

Coordinating planning and engaging stakeholders (24th July 2024).

Aim: Understand the importance of engaging stakeholders in just transition planning, as well as identify key stakeholders and related engagement strategies.

Pre-read available here.

Webinar 4:

Planning transitions to ensure just outcomes (22nd August 2024).

Aim: Provide an opportunity for participants to explore how topics from the previous webinars can be practically implemented in just transition planning.

In-Person Just Transition Planning Workshop

The final session of the Masterclass was a two-day in-person workshop in September, bringing all participants together to share perspectives and work on deepening their preparedness for transition planning. Read the summary report and watch a video overview of the Masterclass here.

By the end of the Just Transition Planning Masterclass, participants were able to:

• Understand the principles of ‘Just Transitions’ and how these relate to policy planning, national contexts, and broader regional transitions.
• Identify the potential social, economic and environmental impacts of Just Transition policies. Recognise the diverse actors involved in Just Transition planning, and develop tailored stakeholder engagement strategies for broad participation.
• Understand the activities and strategies involved in planning and implementing Just Transitions.

The Just Transition Planning Masterclass Series for Nature-based Solution Practitioners included a webinar and an in-person workshop for selected participants in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, and Namibia. Before the webinar, participants received a short document, or ‘pre-read,’ that provided context for the topics that were discussed.

Webinar:

Introducing Just Transitions and Nature-based Solutions 

Aim: Explore the socio-economic impacts of NbS programs and interventions and develop a strong understanding of Just Transition principles. Pre-read to come.

In-Person Just Transition Planning Workshop 

The final session of the Masterclass was a three-day in-person workshop, during which participants applied Just Transition principles into the design and implementation of NbS programmes and projects. The summary report will be made available here in the coming weeks.

The Just Transition Planning Masterclass gave participants an opportunity to:

• Identify the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of NbS programmes.
• Recognise the diverse actors at risk of experiencing these impacts.
• Learn about tailored engagement strategies that ensure deep and broad participation of affected groups.
• Explore tools, methods and strategies that can help in designing NbS solutions that deliver inclusive social benefits.

The Just Transition Planning Masterclass is co-led by Climate Investment Funds (CIF) and Climate Strategies (CS). The African Development Bank (AfDB) is supporting the delivery of workshops for the Masterclass Series and providing insights into financing Just Transitions.

The Climate Investment Funds was established in 2008 to provide scaled-up climate financing to developing countries to initiate transformational change towards low-carbon, climate-resilient development. Working through its Multilateral Development Bank partners, CIF has built a portfolio of over 400 investments in 72 developing and middle-income countries to scale up renewable energy and clean technologies, mainstream climate resilience in development plans and action, and support the sustainable management of forests. CIF’s Evaluation and Learning Initiative provides practical guidance and resources for planning climate transitions that are equitable and inclusive.

Climate Strategies is an international, not-for-profit research network with an expansive network of world-leading researchers as members. Climate Strategies catalyses action by providing robust evidence for decision makers and facilitating meaningful interactions between policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders. We provide evidence-based policy recommendations grounded in research and centre our projects on collaboration to ensure diverse actors are represented in research and policy dialogues. We focus on capacity building in key topics by working closely with in-country institutions and leading researchers around the world to provide a space for national thought leadership on key climate issues, including Just Transitions.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is a multilateral institution whose objective is to contribute to the sustainable economic development and social progress of the African countries that make up the AfDB’s Regional Member Countries (RMCs). The AfDB Group comprises three entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF).

As the leading development finance institution in Africa, the AfDB’s priorities are to improve the living conditions of African populations and mobilise resources for the economic and social progress of its regional member countries, i.e. African countries. The AfDB is headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.