A Just transition framework includes five areas: 1) invests in job creation and secures green energy and decent jobs for workers; 2) provides workers with retraining, redeployment opportunities and skills development; 3) guarantees the access to the human right to social protection; 4) promotes social justice, striving for poverty eradication and social inclusion and 5) includes social dialogue between government, employers, and workers.

As some sectors will be closed and new green jobs will be created, there is a need to have employment policies which will fill the gap between job losses and re-employment. However, the low-income workers, workers in the informal economy, short-term contract workers, self-employed and those workers at the end of value chains, have no luxury to access and dedicate time to skills development and searching for jobs without risking their income security. They need more assistance during this transition as do workers with caregiving responsibilities or disabled workers.

These negative impacts to workers throughout transition won’t be affecting workers equally. Workers in the Global South will be more harshly affected due to poor safety and health measures, lack of social protection coverage and decent work deficits. Workers don’t have the ability to recover and can’t afford the loss and damage incurred by climate disasters. Therefore, inequality and how the climate crisis and actions affect workers must be systematically addressed.

In 2016, ITUC established the Just Transition Centre, which brings together workers, unions, business and governments in social dialogue and stakeholder engagement with communities and civil society to ensure that workers have a seat at the table when planning for a Just Transition to a low-carbon world. A plan for Just Transition provides and guarantees better and decent jobs, social protection, more training opportunities, and greater job security for all workers affected by global warming and climate change policies.