Shoya Yoshida, General Secretary of the ITUC-AP, spoke on “Just Transition of Workforce and Creation of Decent Work and Quality Jobs: Opportunity and Challenges” during the Asia - Pacific Climate Week held in Singapore from 10 - 13 July 2018.

“Social dialogue is a key to a successful just transition. Workers are ready to be better prepared to address the transformation to the green, new economy. To this end, they must be provided an opportunity to upgrade their skills” said the General Secretary. “In Asian and Pacific, we must create a stable climate for social partners to operate without fears of reprisal in comply with Conventions No. 87 and No. 98 of the ILO.”

Stronger cooperation is needed. Through social dialogue, concluding agreements of the implementation of economic, social and environmental policies, including with a view to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals must be considered. The ITUC calls on all pension funds to demand the companies they invest in to present plans consistent with the Paris Agreement for a Just Transition, including job protection and, where necessary, re-skilling and redeployment measures.

The General Secretary continued, “COP24 Katowice should be a reminder to ensure that all stakeholders are committed to: 

1. Gather and evaluate experience in supporting workers, communities and regions in transition towards a low-carbon economy; 
   
2. Provide guidance to Parties on how to promote Just Transition, decent work and quality jobs;
   
3. Ensure the commitment of the Parties to Just Transition, decent work and quality jobs is reflected throughout the modalities, policies and requirements of the Parties activities under the Convention, including mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation;
   
4. Provide finance to support projects aimed at developing low-carbon and sustainable economic activities that will create quality jobs in regions affected by transition to a low-carbon economy;
   
5. Make the work coherent with SDGs; and
   
6. Involve all parties, UNFCCC, ILO, and all other stakeholders in the implementation of this Just Transition and Decent Work Declaration.