Just Transition: Craft right social policies to make it work -WTO

Governments of the African continent have been charged to put the right social polices in place to mitigate the impacts of the Just Transition.

The Director General of the World Trade Organisation WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, made the call on Thursday while speaking to Voice of Nigeria in Geneva, Switzerland.

She said that Africa needs a Just Transition as the world moves from fossil to green energy to manage the devastations caused by climate change.

“We need and deserve a just transition not only in Nigeria, but in the whole of Africa. We need time to be able to take care of the implications of labour, on any transition that we are going to make, which we should do, to get to net zero by whether it’s 2050 or 2060. So that time is needed. We have to craft appropriate social policy so that people do not get stressed and paid too higher price”, she said.

She said the Just Transition needs to be planned not only by Nigeria but Africa in general for a smooth transition.

“I am talking about social policies, making sure that people have alternatives. They have adequate income to be able to care for themselves during these transitions, we can create enough jobs. We have a lot of young people, that’s really my biggest concern.
“So let’s do things and transition to renewable in a way that creates jobs”, Okonjo Iweala stressed.

The WTO Director General, who attended the World of Work Summit at the on-going 111th International Labour Conference ILC of the ILO, said that the Just Transition Programme is inevitable and so has to be planned by all.

“We do need to make the transition but let’s put in place the right policies to make it work”, she said.

A just transition, according to the International Labour organization, means greening the economy in a way that is “as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind”.

It also involves maximizing the social and economic opportunities of climate action, while minimizing and carefully managing any challenges including through effective social dialogue among all groups impacted, and respect for fundamental labour principles and rights.

The ILO Guidelines for a Just Transition to Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All adopted in 2015 by tripartite consensus, provide detailed guidance in this regard.

The 111th Session of the ILC which started on the 5th of June will end today Friday 16 June.

The Conference played host to delegates from its 187 member countries including Nigeria.

Nigeria’s delegation to the Conference is led by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms Kachollom Daju.