Türkiye has taken a significant step toward shaping its National Just Transition Strategy through a two-day training programme supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), bringing together government institutions, employers, workers’ organisations, and international experts to support the country’s green and digital transformation agenda.
The training, held in Ankara on 21–22 May 2026, was organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in collaboration with the ILO Office for Türkiye. It is part of broader preparations ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP31, which Türkiye is set to host later this year.
The programme aimed to strengthen institutional capacity, policy coordination, and stakeholder engagement on just transition policies, ensuring that climate action is aligned with employment protection, social inclusion, and decent work principles.
Participants included representatives from key national institutions, international organisations, academia, and social partners. Discussions focused on global best practices and national priorities related to climate governance, labour market transformation, skills development, and social protection systems.
Experts from organisations such as the European Commission, Spain’s Just Transition Institute, and various Turkish ministries contributed technical inputs. The ILO also presented international frameworks emphasising the need to integrate environmental sustainability with social justice and employment policies.
A key focus of the training was the ongoing development of Türkiye’s National Just Transition Strategy, which is being prepared through a participatory process involving government bodies, trade unions, employers’ organisations, research institutions, and civil society groups. This process is coordinated under the Just Transition Policies Specialised Working Group, established in 2022.
The strategy development has included consultations and analytical studies on critical areas such as workforce reskilling, social protection mechanisms, gender inclusion, and financing models to support affected sectors during the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Türkiye’s broader policy framework already reflects this direction, with just transition principles incorporated into the National Employment Strategy 2025–2028, the 12th Development Plan, and national climate action plans for 2024–2030. The adoption of Türkiye’s Climate Law in 2025 further formalised just transition as a guiding principle toward the country’s 2053 net-zero emissions target.
Officials emphasised that the transition to a greener economy will significantly reshape labour markets and production systems, making social dialogue and skills development essential to ensuring an inclusive transformation.
The ILO and the Turkish government are expected to continue collaboration through additional training and policy support initiatives aimed at finalising and implementing the national strategy in the coming period.
