Members of the Just Transition Platform during launch of a framework to shape Africa’s climate action/HANDOUTA pivotal moment in Africa’s climate response unfolded in Nairobi as the Just Transition Platform (JTP) launched a continental framework designed to redefine Africa’s pathway towards low-carbon economy.
The landmark event gathered leading African voices from across energy, labour, trade, land use, and gender justice sectors, charting a united course for an equitable, inclusive, and climate-resilient future.
The Just Transition Platform, founded in 2022, has emerged as a unique collaborative force driving research, policy development, and networking to ensure the continent’s transition aligns with the principles of equity and justice.
With support from co-convenors ClimateWorks Foundation and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Africa, the platform has brought together an international pool of experts to help shape Africa’s climate transition from a regionally informed perspective.
Organisers underscored the urgency of a just transition- a process of moving towards a low-carbon economy while ensuring that workers and communities are not left behind.
They noted that Africa contributes less than 4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions yet bears the brunt of the climate crisis.
“Structural injustices threaten jobs, health systems, food security, and the rights of youth and women,” they warned, calling for immediate, inclusive, and labour-responsive climate action.
The newly launched framework aims to bridge the divide between climate policy ambition and on-the-ground realities.
It confronts challenges such as continued dependence on biomass, subsistence agriculture, and underfunded infrastructure—while simultaneously pushing back against governance failures including corruption, misaligned political agendas, and elite capture that siphon resources from the broader population.
“This framework is not just about reducing emissions—it’s about transformation,” said one participant. “It’s about building a climate-resilient Africa that centres justice, dignity, and prosperity for all,” they said.
The launch featured members of the Just Transition Platform among them Dr. Pamela Levira (African Union), Ujunwa Ojemeni (E3G), Dr. Tedd Moya (University of Oxford), Kingsley Ofei-Nkasah (GD Resource Center and Anne Songole (CLASP).
Key resolutions included ensuring that climate action supports decent work and just outcomes for workers across all sectors, addressing both environmental and social impacts of the transition.
Meeting also agreed to advocate for economic models that retain value within African economies, resisting systems where resource wealth benefits external actors at the expense of local communities.
Members further resolved to elevate gender justice, youth empowerment, and community-led solutions at the heart of climate strategies.
