Conference Agenda

The shift to net-zero emissions requires a rapid transformation of key sectors, which will have a profound impact on workers and communities, particularly in regions already facing economic challenges. To mitigate such impacts, the Just Labor Transition framework focuses on creating fair, sustainable job opportunities while protecting livelihoods and addressing the geographic disparities in job losses.

Just Transition frameworks are highly varied in their scope and design, demonstrating the diversity of interpretations surrounding the term “Just Transition” across stakeholders (Ullman & Kittner, 2024). At the European level, the “Just Transition Mechanism” is one of the main policy pillars to leave no one behind in the climate transition. However, the local level is also important. In Spain, for example, there is a “Just Transition Agreement” (JTA) to phase out coal mining, support affected workers and municipalities, which contributed to increasing the consensus in these municipalities toward political parties supporting stringent climate policies in the 2024 national elections (Bolet et al., 2024).

However, the lack or poor implementation of Just Transition frameworks can undermine the effectiveness of climate initiatives, as public support for climate policies drops significantly in response to major negative shocks, particularly job losses. Climate policies may be viewed as detrimental to employment, especially in regions where polluting industries dominate and in sectors already affected by globalisation and automation (Vona, 2019). Unsurprisingly, stronger environmental policies are linked to a greater share of green jobs, yet workers rarely transition from pollution-intensive to greener roles (Bluedorn et al., 2023).

Optimistically, the green transition in the labor market is manageable, though challenging for some workers. Policymakers should differentiate between small and large distributional effects of climate policies and implement a suitable mix of revenue recycling, industrial and retraining policies, along with compensation packages, to boost support for these policies.

Session Content

The aim of this policy session is to bring together experts and policymakers from both within and outside of Europe to discuss pathways toward a Just Labor Transition. The session will highlight the importance of inclusive, collaborative approaches in developing labor policies, engaging stakeholders, and addressing the unique challenges of different industries and regions.

Based on the session description and on Fernández Intriago et al. (2025), the discussion will include five key critical obstacles that hinder the realization of a Just Labour Transition, namely:

- There is a limited overlap between displaced jobs and those created in green sectors.

- Labor market solutions from developed nations may not be as effective in developing countries.

- Conventional labor market policies may overlook the needs of the informal workforce.

- Place-based industrial policies often fail to deliver results.

- The implementation of necessary policies requires considerable financial resources.

The discussion will include contributions from experts and policymakers, who will give their perspectives on the topic. The interventions will be facilitated by the chair and then complemented by a Q&A session in which the audience will be involved in the debate.