Just transition

Just transition requires several things:

Having the backing of the population. If governments can show that green transition will bring socio-economic benefits, citizens may more easily support climate goals, policies, and investments.
Creating a green job revolution with decent pay and working conditions and access to social benefits.
Ensuring transparent planning and participation by stakeholders and governments to minimize fear and resistance regarding the costs of reducing fossil fuels and other climate-damaging activities.
Pushing for local solutions, so that each country gains insight into the impact on its own climate and can find suitable solutions.
Strengthening comprehensive solutions, such as national action plans, with both short- and long-term targets, making leaders focus on the urgent task of reducing greenhouse gas emissions while working for a just and inclusive society.

Overall, a just transition will not only help to reduce climate change. It also contributes to the achievement of the SDGs, especially those related to affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, less inequality, and responsible production and consumption.

Just transition is about ensuring that the whole of society – all local communities, all social groups, and all workers – is on route to achieving the UN's climate goals. The International Labour Organization (ILO), defines 'just transition' as “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”.

The world requires green climate solutions and sustainable production. But the necessary green transition risks leading to the loss of decent jobs and the decline or collapse of entire economic sectors. Therefore, to succeed and gain public support, the green transition must also be a just transition.

The Danish Labour Market Consortium promotes inclusive, green, and sustainable production that contributes to better opportunities on the labour market in developing countries through the creation of decent jobs with labour rights, gender equality, and good working conditions.

We support the ability of our sister organizations and their members to adapt to a more climate and environmentally friendly production that contributes to social justice and sustainable growth.

Our work within just transition therefore supports the social partners to promote democratic debate on just green transition, restructure production, mitigate negative effects, for example through social security, an active labour market policy, collective agreements, and co-determination, as well as contribute to develop the workforce for the future labour market through improved education, upskilling and job creation.

This is done through strengthening labour market organizations that represent both employers and employees, promoting the regulation and formalization of the labour market through research, analyses, and political advocacy to change legislation, as well as supporting companies to develop green strategies that involve trade unions and employees and include social dialogue, public -private partnerships, and better technical and vocational education and training.