Navigating just transitions: global strategies for a worker-centric decarbonisation

Climate change and, more recently, the energy security crisis have put decarbonisation at the top of the agenda of most governments across the globe. Reducing emissions to net-zero will require a dramatic change in industrial production and will have an enormous impact on jobs and employment.

Workers have asked for a just transition, emphasising that the elimination of fossil fuels as well as the dematerialisation of the economy should not happen at the expense of workers. In many places, trade unions have already begun to develop proposals and strategies to ensure an inclusive and socially just design of climate-related structural change. Just transition requires the protection of workers and vulnerable groups affected by this restructuring of the economy.  

The understanding of this process differs from country to country, as do the policies implemented to achieve just transitions.

Our project, funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation, explores the concepts of just transitions and its related policies, initiatives and strategies across 13 countries. We are investigating the factors influencing the understanding of just transitions, as well as strategies of labour activities and environmental Non-Governmental Organisations. We are also looking at the emergence of key ideas, debates and strategies in the trade union movement in a variety of economic, institutional and climate policy frameworks. 

We have systematically selected the UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, USA, Russia, China, Nigeria, South Africa, Chile, Brazil, Indonesia and the Canadian province Québec to provide the greatest possible diversity with regard to their trade balance, their economy type, the emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product, the climate policy orientation of their governments and their systems of institutionalised industrial relations.

Here is a summary of some of the key findings from just three of the country case studies we have been investigating:

South Africa 

South Africa’s approach to a just transition has been marked by ambiguity and tension. The national union federation, COSATU, initiated discussions on the just transition in the 2010s, expressing concerns that it could be co-opted by capitalist interests that overlook social justice. However, the concept remained vaguely defined, allowing unions to avoid conflicts, especially with those most affected by decarbonisation efforts. This lack of clarity also extended to government policies, with the Just Transition Framework of 2022 being broad but lacking in implementation details.

Tensions escalated with the introduction of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) at COP26, which involved foreign loans to accelerate South Africa’s energy transition. Unions raised concerns about the debt burden and loss of sovereignty, fearing that the agenda was being set by international donors. The closure of the Komati power station, deemed a failure even by the Presidential Climate Commission, highlighted the lack of readiness among workers and communities for the transition. 

Additionally, unions are wary of the potential privatization of energy, which could undermine job creation and energy sovereignty. This has fuelled fears of “green colonialism,” with renewables being viewed as a foreign imposition, exacerbating existing populist narratives in the country.

Russia

In Russia, coal remains a crucial economic asset, particularly for mining regions, despite the country’s energy mix being dominated by gas, hydro, and nuclear power. The government does not prioritize energy transition, viewing its energy balance as largely clean. Climate commitments are minimal, with the focus on economic efficiency rather than decarbonisation. The government’s strategy includes maintaining the competitiveness of carbon-intensive industries and exploring new markets, particularly in the East, following the 2022 coal embargo.

Efforts to manage the transition in coal-dependent regions like Kuzbass have been largely ineffective, with federal and local governments attempting to control the process. Coal trade unions, once powerful advocates for workers’ rights, have become marginalized due to labour changes. The unions have no climate agenda and their official stance dismisses just transition and decarbonisation as foreign agendas. The ongoing war in Ukraine has further isolated Russian trade unions from international counterparts. 

Workers in coal-dependent communities face deteriorating conditions, with environmental damage, health issues, and declining social infrastructure, leading to a perception of “just transition” as a myth.

Germany

Germany, a major industrialized nation and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Europe, is under significant pressure to decarbonize. The country’s Climate Change Act (CCA) of 2019 is a comprehensive policy aimed at achieving net-zero emissions, involving various societal stakeholders, including labour unions. German unions, particularly the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB), play a crucial role in climate policy, advocating for a socially balanced transition that preserves industrial jobs while making them environmentally sustainable.

Unions support the climate targets set by the Paris Agreement and the federal government, emphasizing the need for strong social and employment components in the transition. They call for massive public investments, social and environmental requirements tied to state support, government-backed retraining initiatives, and streamlined approval processes for renewable energy projects. 

Unions have successfully lobbied for a reduced industrial electricity price, demonstrating their influence as institutional actors. However, they remain concerned about the impact of budget cuts on necessary investments for a just transition.

We will be using our findings to develop a typology and case reports, as well as recommendations for successful strategies for climate-friendly structural change. By sharing these insights, we aim to contribute to the global conversation on achieving a truly inclusive and socially just transition, ensuring that climate action goes hand in hand with protecting the rights and livelihoods of workers worldwide.

Visit the project webpage.