ILO facilitates COP29 talks highlighting role of skills development in a just transition to environmental sustainability

BAKU, (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) has facilitated a high-level, tripartite, roundtable aimed at scaling up investments in skilling and reskilling for green jobs.

The roundtable, Nurturing Talent for a Climate-Resilient Future, was held on the UN Climate Change Conference’s (UNFCCC COP29) inaugural Human Development Day on 18 November 2024 and explored key solutions for workforce transformation that emphasize decent work, job creation, upskilling, and reskilling of workers, as prerequisites for a just transition. This approach is in line with the Human Development Day’s own focus on addressing the impact of climate change on human development. 

“Humans need to be at the centre of climate action because a skilled workforce is critical to driving the green transition and because the transitions will have a social cost, be that job losses or other challenges of the transition,” explained Mia Seppo, ILO Assistant Director-General for Jobs and Social Protection and panel moderator. 

The event featured 12 distinguished speakers, including ministers, high-level government officials, workers’ and employers’ organizations along with key partners like the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the OIC Labour Centre. Discussions focused on policies across sectors, inter-ministerial cooperation, and the role of social dialogue to ensure inclusive skills development. Panellists also shared best practices, demonstrating how education and training and targeted employment measures can meet the evolving demands of green industries and inclusive climate-resilient economies.

The ILO highlighted the critical role of skills for climate action through participation in numerous events at the Just Transition Pavilion, as well as sessions organised by the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Biodiversity Foundation, Iberdrola, UNFCCC, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), PwC, and more. These sessions showcased the critical role of skills development in advancing climate adaptation and mitigation measures. 

A clinic on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), hosted by the ILO, highlighted the need to integrate skills development into climate commitments. Discussions underscored that embedding workforce strategies into NDCs is pivotal to achieving effective climate adaptation and mitigation outcomes.

Scaling up action with the Baku guiding principles

The ILO joined other international organizations, development banks and climate funds, endorsing the Baku Guiding Principles on Human Development for Climate Resilience. These principles call for aligning climate action with human development goals, enhancing social dialogue, and scaling up skills investments. The Baku Guiding Principles are especially significant in light of the climate crisis and the resulting urgent need to integrate skills development into climate policies and climate funding and to turn words into actions. 

"The ILO is calling for early investment in skills development, not as an afterthought, but upfront in climate policies," explained Seppo.

The Principles also aim to mobilize global actions that prioritize youth, women, and workers in transitioning sectors. Principles two, five and six, in particular, call for enhanced social dialogue, support for the greening of skills, and investment in entrepreneurship and innovation.

A path forward

The ILO’s active participation at COP29 underscored the critical role of skills development in achieving a just transition to environmental sustainability. As countries prepare to revise their Nationally Determined Contributions, these insights highlight essential priorities:

• Integrating Skills into Climate Strategies: Upcoming NDC revisions offer a pivotal moment to embed skills development into national climate commitments, ensuring workforces are prepared for a green transition.
• Prioritizing Early Investments in Skills: Proactive investment in skills development is not optional but a fundamental requirement for effective and inclusive climate action.
• Fostering Strategic Partnerships: Collaboration is essential to maximise the impact of skills initiatives, avoid duplication of efforts, and create synergies across ongoing programs.
• By positioning skills and green jobs as central to climate resilience, the ILO has reinforced human development as a cornerstone of the climate agenda at COP29.