COP 29

The Conference of the Parties (COP), commonly known as the Climate Summit, began on Monday, 11 November, in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. Charlotte Vollaard, Policy Advisor on Just Transition at Mondiaal FNV, and FNV board member Bas van Weegberg will travel there on the 16th. “I am attending to support our partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and ensure their voices are heard,” says Vollaard.

Mondiaal FNV has been actively involved in the Just Transition dossier for several years. This concerns a fair transition to a low-carbon economy that safeguards the futures and livelihoods of workers. Mondiaal FNV pursues this mission globally in collaboration with many partners. And this is crucial, as the International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that over 80% of the global workforce is affected by the impacts of climate change and the transition to a green economy. These changes influence jobs, incomes, and working conditions, particularly in high-emission industries such as mining, energy, construction, and transport.

Social Safety Nets for Workers

This COP29 (the number refers to the 29th conference) focuses on climate financing. Currently, only a fraction of climate financing is allocated to social protection and support for workers. The World Bank estimates that approximately $2 trillion per year is needed for climate measures, with a larger share required for social safety nets and support for workers during the transition.

“Last year, the labour movement achieved a significant victory with the adoption of the groundbreaking Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP),” explains Charlotte Vollaard. This programme underscores the importance of ‘labour rights’ in UN climate negotiations. “Now this recognition needs to be translated into all climate policy work, which is a key focus of this conference.”

Time for Action

“The JTWP programme has been included in climate plans, but implementing these principles remains a challenge,” says Vollaard. “How much money will it cost, and who gets to participate? I believe we need to move past endless debates over definitions because we’re already behind on all our plans. So, let’s get to work.”

Climate Financing Must Include Worker Protection

Mondiaal FNV’s position for COP29 is clear: when allocating climate financing, the needs of workers affected by the transition must be considered. Governments must provide social protection for workers and guarantee this support. In other words, if a worker loses their job due to climate goals, they should receive either compensation or retraining for a new job. Moreover, social dialogue must play a central role in designing and implementing climate plans. Research shows that social dialogue leads to more inclusive and sustainable climate solutions. For example, Germany has preserved thousands of jobs during its energy transition through consultation between the government, trade unions, and businesses.

Lack of Funds for Climate Adaptation

“Urgent action is needed on climate financing,” says the international labour movement ITUC, a sentiment echoed by the FNV. “The Dutch government believes that current financing flows are insufficient to support the climate transition and are not sufficiently focused on the countries that need it most, such as the least developed countries and small island states,” Vollaard explains. “But it’s unclear how much money the Netherlands is willing to commit and to what extent trade unions can have a say. Another key issue is whether the financing will come from private or public funds. Will it be a loan or a grant? Many countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are already burdened by structural debt. Now they’re being asked to make climate-related adjustments, but they simply don’t have the money. And if financing is limited to loans, their debt burdens will only increase.”

While we’ve phased out our coal industry, we still import coal from Colombia. When coal imports decline, this directly impacts workers

Climate Change as a Destabilising Force

To date, most available funds have gone towards mitigation—measures to limit the extent or speed of global warming. “But there’s still very little funding for adaptation—restructuring our society to become less vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This must be addressed through social dialogue.”

Trade unions play a crucial role in this, says Vollaard. “If they’re not involved, workers’ needs won’t be considered. That 80% of the workforce identified by the ILO is a massive number of people. Climate change can thus be highly destabilising, including for the economy.” Vollaard argues that governments and businesses have a major opportunity to involve trade unions in climate plans. “This approach avoids resistance and accelerates progress toward achieving the goals.”

Reduced Coal Imports Have Immediate Effects

For Mondiaal FNV, collaboration with international partners such as the union centre CIPAME in Colombia and the union federation FESTU in Somalia is vital, says Vollaard. “Their positions align with the ITUC, of which they are also members. CIPAME, an umbrella group for the energy and mining sectors, will focus on their specific context. But their context also affects the Netherlands. While we’ve phased out our coal industry, we still import coal from Colombia. When coal imports decline, this directly impacts workers. Their interests must also be considered in the measures.” In general, climate change also affects conflicts in certain regions through scarcity, as well as basic needs and migration. “This applies to many countries and should be included in new plans as well.”

Collaborating in the International Climate Coalition

The FNV participates in the International Climate Coalition, which includes organisations like Simavi, War Child, Greenpeace, and Oxfam Novib. Together, they’ve drafted a position paper, advocating that governments consider the broader geopolitical dimensions of climate policy. Effective climate protection is impossible in the context of war and violent conflict. Fundamental principles include respect for international law, labour and human rights, gender equality, the rights of Indigenous peoples, and youth inclusion.

Climate Policy Must Be People-Centred

“This report outlines the main areas where we can find common ground. Together, we have more influence on the Dutch delegation than we would individually. As a coalition, we’re more quickly invited to meetings than as separate organisations. We jointly submit policy letters to Parliament and participate in roundtable discussions with Dutch delegation negotiators. But our primary message is that climate policy must be people-centred. That is the core.”

Text: Astrid van Unen, November 2024