The social impacts of climate policies: planning for a just transition
Photo © Unsplash/Stanislav Kondratiev
Online
The social impacts of climate policies: planning for a just transition
6–18 October 2025
The course is available in English
Introduction to the course
Well-designed climate policies can bring jobs and social inclusion. Poorly designed climate policies, at the other hand, can increase unemployment, exacerbate inequalities and lead to unattained social disruption. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015 - whose preamble explicitly refers to the just transition - countries are striving to manage the transition to environmentally sustainable economies in a fair and productive way. Reconciling decarbonisation of the economy with social justice is not an easy task. While the greening of economies brings many opportunities to achieve social objectives, the required economic restructuring also presents enormous challenges for enterprises, workers and the economy at large. Internationally, progress has been made towards a clear political recognition of the challenge. In 2015, the International Labour Organization developed Guidelines for a just transition to environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all. These guidelines provide a framework for governments and social partners to maximise employment and income, and minimize job and income losses. Given that no one size fits all, it is important for each country to develop just transition priorities and policies based on its specific context.
Who attends this course?
The course is particularly tailored to: - Representatives of government ministries and agencies (Labour, Employment, Environment, Planning, Finance, TVET, Economy) as well as from subnational tiers of government; - Representatives from employers' and workers' associations with a particular interest in just transition; - UN staff, including but not limited to ILO colleagues, engaged or interested in refining their skills on how to mainstream just transition principles and concepts into country-level planning processes, including UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs) - Private sector representatives interested to support the just transition; - National and international development agencies; - Professionals from universities and civil society organizations
Course Objectives
The objective of this course is to provide participants with a better understanding on how to plan for a transition towards a green economy that is just in terms of process and outcome. Participants will acquire tools and technical knowledge to work towards a just transition both at the national and sub-national level, with due attention to sectoral strategies.
The training programme will focus on strategies to put social justice and the creation of decent work at the centre of climate action. The content will evolve around the interlinkages of climate policies with macroeconomic and growth policies, labour market policies, industrial and economic diversification policies, enterprise and skills development policies, rights and social protection.
The following topics will be at the centre of discussion during the capacity-building programme:
- Why climate policies matter for social justice
- The employment impacts of climate policies
- The just transition: 9 policy areas
- The role of social dialogue and stakeholder engagement in shaping a just transition
- Fostering an inclusive just transition: why and how?
- The role of the private sector in shaping a just transition
- Financing a just transition
At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Analyse framework conditions to develop and implement policies and strategies for a just transition, with decent work opportunities in a greener and fairer economy, based on the ILO Just Transition Guidelines
- Identify and distinguish the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, including ILO tripartite constituents, to shape a conducive environment for the creation of decent jobs in the transition to a low-carbon economy
- Identify the value of multi-stakeholder consultation processes, and how to stir them at sectoral, institutional, policy, national levels
- Review and take stock of examples of just transition pathways and how countries are moving towards a net-zero future
- Debate how to deliver upon the 2030 Agenda by planning for transitions that are people-centred, socially-inclusive and long-term
Course structure and methodology
The course will run over a period of 3 weeks. Throughout the entire course participants will have access to ITCILO’s e-campus and self-guided e-learning modules with interactive learning activities and case studies, background reading material and key information on the course.
In various interactive, live online sessions, delivered by ITCILO trainers, participants will have the opportunity to learn and exchange with experts and professionals from international organisations, research institutions as well as governmental and nongovernmental organisations on the various course topics. Recordings of the session will be available on the e-campus.
During the sessions, participants will also have the possibility to further enhance their skills in interactive group learning exercises. The course will close with a final assignment that will enable participants to apply their newly acquired knowledge and put it into action.
Why should I join?
In the global debate for greener low-carbon economies and societies, playing our part goes hand in hand with taking up challenges to scale up our personal and professional efforts.
This course will provide you with state-of-the-art knowledge, tools and skills to engage effectively in planning processes for a just transition to a low-carbon economy that is inclusive, fair and leaves no one behind. It will offer you an opportunity to connect with experts across the globe and to become part of a community of engaged practitioners within the UN system and beyond.
Are you ready to be a change-maker?
