ITUC-Africa Urges Climate Justice and Decent Jobs at COP31

The Africa Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has demanded climate justice, decent jobs, and stronger social protection for workers at COP31. In a statement signed by its general secretary, Joel Odigie, the organisation emphasized that climate action must promote social justice alongside environmental sustainability. ITUC-Africa, which represents about 18 million workers across 52 African countries, urged governments to prioritize workers' rights in climate policies.

Mr. Odigie stated that workers must remain central to decisions on Africa's energy transition, calling for a just transition centered on decent work, social protection, workers' participation, gender equity, and investment in green jobs. He stressed that the livelihoods and rights of workers and communities must remain at the heart of climate policies, rather than treating workers as secondary considerations. ITUC-Africa also urged governments to guarantee universal, affordable, and reliable energy access through accountable public utilities.

The organisation called for increased climate financing, debt relief, and adequate Loss and Damage funding to support African countries. Mr. Odigie insisted that developed countries must provide new, additional, and predictable climate resources, principally through grants. He emphasized that climate financing must not increase Africa's debt burden or undermine investments in energy, public services, adaptation, and social protection.

ITUC-Africa also demanded stronger implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Just Transition Work Programme, with the International Labour Organisation's Just Transition Guidelines as its central reference. Mr. Odigie urged governments, employers, and trade unions to embrace tripartite social dialogue to guarantee workers' participation in designing and implementing climate policies.

The organisation demanded employment-impact assessments, reskilling, redeployment, income guarantees, occupational safety, and universal social protection for workers affected by industrial restructuring and closures. Mr. Odigie also urged African governments to promote green industrialisation through local mineral processing, technology transfer, and component manufacturing, and to invest in higher-value green supply chains to strengthen domestic manufacturing and create decent jobs.

ITUC-Africa's general secretary demanded formal trade union representation in national energy planning, tariff regulation, climate-finance governance, just-transition commissions, and COP delegations. He called for a structured labour engagement mechanism with the African Union and Regional Economic Communities to strengthen workers' participation in continental climate decisions. Mr. Odigie urged governments and energy-transition partners to translate these demands into funded, time-bound commitments at COP31.

The organisation emphasized that Africa's energy transition must be shaped with workers and communities rather than imposed upon them. Mr. Odigie insisted that workers' participation is crucial in designing and implementing climate policies that promote social justice and environmental sustainability. ITUC-Africa's demands aim to ensure that workers' rights are protected and that they benefit from the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Key points

• ITUC-Africa demands climate justice, decent jobs, and stronger social protection for workers at COP31.
• The organisation urges governments to prioritize workers' rights in climate policies and guarantee universal, affordable, and reliable energy access.
• ITUC-Africa calls for increased climate financing, debt relief, and adequate Loss and Damage funding to support African countries.