The European Union (EU) has proposed the creation of a Just Transition Action Plan (JTAP) under the UN climate process, putting forward one of the most detailed attempts yet to strengthen global cooperation on the social dimensions of the energy transition.
The plan, unveiled during the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Belem, is designed to translate high-level commitments on “just transition” into practical actions that countries, workers and communities can use to manage the economic and social impacts of shifting to net-zero economies.
The EU says the JTAP will serve as a “concrete enabler” of 1.5°C-aligned climate policies, focusing on fairness, inclusion and the protection of vulnerable workers and communities facing rising climate impacts as well as disruption due to the the shift away from fossil fuels.
The action plan, seen by Down To Earth, responds to a clear demand heard across negotiations: countries and non-Party stakeholders want more capacity-building, knowledge exchange, technical support, and multi-stakeholder engagement, with a stronger focus on implementation rather than reiterating political commitments.
The proposed JTAP includes five core aims:
· Knowledge-sharing and awareness-building, to help countries understand and integrate just-transition approaches and evaluate their impacts on workers and communities.
· Full and meaningful participation of workers, civil society, youth, women, Indigenous peoples and affected communities in the design and monitoring of climate policies.
· Stronger cooperation and coherence across UNFCCC bodies, international organisations and national institutions working on just transition.
· Enhanced technical capacities to design fair, inclusive policies through national climate strategies—including 1.5°C-aligned nationally determined contributions (NDCs), long-term strategies (LT-LEDS), national adaptation plans and technology assessments.
· Integration of just-transition elements into the next cycle of climate plans, in line with the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake.
The EU emphasises that while nearly 38 per cent of NDCs and 57 per cent of long-term strategies mention just transition, few contain dedicated, detailed sections—revealing a gap between political signalling and actual planning.
The JTAP outlines key functions for the proposed plan: accelerating climate ambition, aligning social and climate goals, synthesising global knowledge, identifying gaps, making recommendations, and enhancing international cooperation. A notable feature is its broad engagement mandate, calling for proactive inclusion of civil society, workers’ groups, youth, women and affected communities.
The EU argues that just transition cannot be treated as an “add-on” to mitigation policy. Instead, climate and social goals must be designed together, preventing policy shocks that disproportionately affect certain regions or sectors such as coal mining, heavy industry, or informal labour markets.
Under the proposal, the UNFCCC Secretariat, Parties, constituted bodies and relevant UN agencies would implement time-bound, clearly defined activities—with specific entities responsible for delivery. The plan stresses that it would be:
· Action-oriented
· Inclusive
· Non-prescriptive
· Complementary, avoiding duplication of existing UNFCCC work
The EU also suggests anchoring the JTAP within the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) agreed at CMA5, ensuring continuity and avoiding fragmentation.
To advance the idea within the COP30 negotiations, the EU has asked that Parties include an explicit option in the draft text:
Requesting the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) to develop a Just Transition Action Plan under the Just Transition Work Programme, with a recommendation due at the June 2026 Bonn session and final adoption at the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) 8.
If adopted, the process would effectively launch a structured two-year pathway to embed just transition more deeply into global climate governance.
With Parties beginning work on the next round of NDCs—due in 2025 and expected to be aligned with the 1.5°C pathway—the EU’s proposal seeks to send an early signal: climate ambition must be paired with social protection and economic planning, especially for workers and regions facing rapid structural change.
The proposal positions transition as a cornerstone of global climate implementation, not a secondary consideration—an approach that could shape how countries design the next generation of climate policies under the Paris Agreement.