Enviro News Asia, Nairobi – Governments worldwide are increasingly translating their just transition commitments into laws, public policies, institutions, and judicial decisions, according to a new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Published ahead of the first anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on states’ obligations regarding climate change, the report, No Transition Without Justice: Strengthening Environmental Rule of Law for People and Planet, argues that a just transition must be grounded in environmental rule of law to ensure climate action is fair, inclusive, and rights-based.
The report defines just transition as the transformation toward sustainable and resilient economies and societies while protecting human rights, addressing historical inequalities, and ensuring environmental justice across generations. It emphasizes that the transition must include a wide range of stakeholders, including workers and Indigenous Peoples, and span sectors such as energy, mining, construction, and agriculture.
UNEP noted that ensuring emissions reductions without leaving vulnerable communities behind remains a central challenge in international climate negotiations, including discussions at the recent Bonn Climate Meeting (SB-64).
“The design and implementation of transition processes will determine whether there is a transition at all,” said Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Director of UNEP’s Law Division. “Just transition is a test of governance, legitimacy, and the rule of law. Fair, inclusive, and rights-based transitions are what make environmental action durable.”
According to the report, 67 Parties to the Paris Agreement had explicitly incorporated just transition into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as of 2024. However, UNEP stressed that implementing these commitments requires country-specific approaches supported by effective legal frameworks, public institutions, civic participation, access to justice, and sustainable financing.
The report highlights examples from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, South Africa, Tuvalu, the United Kingdom, and several European Union member states. In Slovenia, transition planning includes measures to prevent energy and mobility poverty through local government implementation, while South Korea’s capital, Seoul, applies just transition principles by involving citizens, industry, and civil society in urban energy planning.
UNEP said it will continue supporting member states in developing and implementing just transition policies and action plans in line with decisions adopted during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém. (*)
