Transición Justa. OIT 2015

Following the decision of the Governing Body, the Office convened the Tripartite Meeting of Experts1 from 5–9 October 2015 to:

– review, amend and adopt draft guidelines based on a compilation and thorough review by the Office of experiences from country policies and sectoral strategies towards environmental sustainability, the greening of enterprises, social inclusion and the promotion of green jobs;

– distil lessons and good practices in respect of policy formulation in each of the nine policy areas identified in the just transition framework, through tripartite dialogue;

– recommend ways to give practical effect to the guidelines in terms of their dissemination and practical application at the country level by constituents and adopt policy guidelines on a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all.

The following guidelines as agreed by the Experts are meant to provide non-binding practical orientation to Governments and social partners with some specific options on how to formulate, implement and monitor the policy framework, in accordance with national circumstances and priorities.

Our Vision and principles
1. The four pillars of the Decent Work Agenda – social dialogue, social protection, rights at work and

employment – are indispensable building blocks of sustainable development and must be at the centre
of policies for strong, sustainable and inclusive growth and development.

2. Sustainable development means that the needs of the present generation should be met without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development has
three dimensions –economic, social, and environmental– which are interrelated, of equal importance
and must be addressed together.

3. Sharing a common global purpose, there are different approaches, models and tools available to each
country, in accordance with its national circumstances and priorities to achieve sustainable development
in its three dimensions, which is our overarching goal.

4. A just transition for all towards an environmentally sustainable economy, as described in this docume
nt, needs to be well managed and contribute to the goals of decent work for all, social inclusion and the
eradication of poverty.

5. Decent work, poverty eradication and environmental sustainability are three of the defining
challenges of the twenty-first century. Economies must be productive to meet the needs of the world’s
growing population. Societies must be inclusive, providing opportunities for decent work for all,
reducing inequalities and effectively eliminating poverty.

6. When referring to the greening of economies, enterprises and jobs, we consider it in the context of
sustainable development and poverty eradication. This is one of the important tools for achieving
sustainable development and could provide options for policy- making. In this context, we welcome
the document “The Future We Want” adopted by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development (Rio +20).

7. The greening of economies presents many opportunities to achieve social objectives: it has the
potential to be a new engine of growth, both in advanced and developing economies, and a net
generator of decent, green jobs that can contribute significantly to poverty eradication and social
inclusion. The greening of economies will enhance our ability to manage natural resources sustainably,
increase energy efficiency and reduce waste, while addressing inequalities and enhancing resilience.
The greening of jobs and the promotion of green jobs, both in traditional and emerging sectors, will
foster a competitive, low-carbon, environmentally sustainable economy and patterns of sustainable
consumption and production, and contribute to the fight against climate change.

8. Managed well, transitions to environmentally and socially sustainable economies can become a
strong driver of job creation, job upgrading, social justice and poverty eradication. Greening all
enterprises and jobs by introducing more energy and resource efficient practices, avoiding pollution
and managing natural resources sustainably leads to innovation, enhances resilience and generates
savings which drive new investment and employment.

9. Sustainable development is only possible with the active engagement of the world of work.
Governments, employers and workers are not passive bystanders, but rather agents of change, who are
able to develop new ways of working that safeguard the environment for
present and future generations, eradicate poverty and promote social justice by fostering sustainable
enterprises and creating decent work for all.

10. The path to environmentally sustainable development involves a wide range of efforts and activities
from the ILO and member States, who have widely varying capabilities and ability to act in accordance
with the reality of each State. In that context, cooperation, information sharing and joint action within
the mandate of the ILO will be valuable.

11. We recall the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as set out in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992).