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Over 700 organisations urge COP31 to establish global Just Transition mechanism – EnviroNews
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More than 700 organisations from 88 countries have called on governments at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) to establish a global Just Transition mechanism to ensure that climate action protects the rights, livelihoods and interests of vulnerable communities.
The organisations, representing trade unions, Indigenous Peoples, feminist movements, children and youth, Afro-descendant and peasant groups, environmental advocates, disability networks and community organisations, made the demand in an open letter to governments participating in the climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye.
They called for the proposed Belém-Antalya Mechanism (BAM) to translate international commitments on Just Transition into concrete action, stressing that the transition to a low-carbon economy must put people, rather than emissions targets alone, at its centre.
The organisations noted that social movements at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, had secured a landmark decision linking climate action to social and economic justice, human rights, inclusion and international cooperation.
They said governments had also committed to establishing a mechanism at COP31 to turn Just Transition promises into practical action.
However, they warned that the commitment remained unfulfilled a decade after the Paris Agreement recognised the need for a Just Transition that safeguards people’s rights and livelihoods.
According to the organisations, the failure to translate the commitment into action has contributed to stalled climate action, deepening inequality and the marginalisation of communities affected by the transition.
They described COP31, which is being presented as an implementation-focused summit, as a crucial opportunity for governments to demonstrate their commitment by establishing the Belém-Antalya Mechanism.
Mwanahamisi Singano, Global Policy Director of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization and Women and Gender Constituency, said COP31 could demonstrate the value of international cooperation at a time when trust in multilateral institutions was under severe strain.
She stressed that the success of multilateralism should be measured not only by governments’ ability to negotiate but also by whether their decisions deliver justice, uphold human rights and respond to the realities of communities on the frontline of the climate crisis.
“At the core of that obligation at COP31 is the BAM. Feminists call for the establishment of the Belém-Antalya Mechanism to place justice, rights and equity at the heart of the transition,” Singano said.
Similarly, Lidy Nacpil of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) and Demand Climate Justice Constituency said workers and communities, particularly in the Global South, had welcomed the COP30 decision to develop the mechanism because of its potential to deliver practical support for Just Transition initiatives.
However, she expressed concern that discussions at the Pre-COP31 meeting had exposed resistance from some governments in the Global North to the proposed mechanism.
She accused them of seeking to limit its functions and delay its operationalisation.
Nacpil said the mechanism must provide and facilitate financial and other support for Just Transition, ensure that rights-holders have seats at the decision-making table and become fully operational by COP32.
Bert De Wel of the International Trade Union Confederation and Trade Union Constituency (TUNGO) said trade unions representing millions of workers across the Global North and South had signed the open letter because social justice and fairness were essential to effective climate policy implementation.
He called for labour rights, social dialogue with trade unions, meaningful participation in decision-making and effective support for Just Transition programmes.
According to him, these measures would help ensure that the proposed mechanism delivers tangible benefits for workers and their communities.
Anabella Rosemberg, Senior Adviser on Just Transition at Climate Action Network International, said social movements had secured a significant breakthrough at COP30 by pushing for climate action that prioritises people.
She noted that the decision recognised the importance of social justice, human and labour rights, the rights of Indigenous Peoples and inclusion, while acknowledging the need for international cooperation to achieve a Just Transition.
Rosemberg urged governments at COP31 to fulfil their commitment by establishing the Belém-Antalya Mechanism rather than allowing the agreement to become another unresolved negotiation.
She stressed that workers and communities whose lives and livelihoods were at stake could not afford further delays.
The organisations maintained that the proposed mechanism should place workers, Indigenous Peoples and other affected communities at the centre of decision-making and ensure that the transition to sustainable economies does not deepen existing inequalities.
