The International Labour Organization (ILO) welcomed the adoption of the Belém Political Package at the 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Endorsed by 195 countries, the Package is a landmark achievement that strengthens global efforts to advance climate action while promoting a just transition. It emphasizes creating decent work, expanding social protection, and generating inclusive socio-economic opportunities for all, ensuring that transitions are equitable and sustainable.
Throughout the two-week negotiations, the ILO provided technical support to integrate decent work and just transition objectives across key decision-making processes, including the United Arab Emirates Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). The ILO highlighted significant progress under the JTWP, including a focus on social dialogue, labour rights, quality jobs, and the participation of workers affected by transitions, women, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, migrants, youth, and informal economy workers. For the first time in COP history, the participation of people of African descent was formally recognized.
The JTWP also underlines the importance of skills development, social protection, private-sector engagement—including micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)—and attention to the informal and care economies. It promotes the application of the ILO Guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies, as well as the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, which support countries in designing nationally appropriate strategies. A notable milestone from COP30 is the decision to establish a just transition mechanism to enhance international cooperation, technical assistance, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing.
The ILO additionally supported Parties in developing the Global Goal on Adaptation indicators, emphasizing the inclusion of social protection measures to track progress in reducing vulnerabilities and building resilience. The organization contributed to the Brazilian COP Presidency’s Action Agenda, especially within groups focused on job creation, skills development, MSMEs, and entrepreneurship. Countries also adopted the Belém Gender Action Plan, advancing gender-responsive climate action while ensuring just transitions and the creation of decent work aligned with national development priorities.
Throughout COP30, ILO specialists participated in technical discussions and high-level panels on social dialogue, labour rights, inclusion, skills development, Nature-Based Solutions, finance, green industrialization, social protection, enterprise resilience, and indigenous and tribal peoples’ leadership. The ILO emphasized the critical role of integrating decent work into climate action and pledged continued support to translate the outcomes of COP30 into concrete progress toward sustainable development and equitable transitions.
