ITUC-Africa seeks collective action on equitable energy transition

Contributing only 3.8 per cent to global emissions, Africa bears a disproportionate burden from climate change and adaptation costs despite producing a small percentage of global emissions.

Rising from a meeting held on the 20th of December 2024, the African Regional Organisation of the Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) resolved to organise another meeting in 2025 to design a collective action to attain a just and equitable transition beyond COP29.

The General Secretary of the Continental Trade Union, Joel Odigie, said Africa has seen the worst forms of floods and cyclones, which have had dire consequences for agriculture and food security, displacement and disease outbreaks, among other impacts on economic activities.

According to the CDP Africa Report, only 3.8 per cent of global emissions come from Africa, compared to 23 per cent from China, 19 per cent from the U.S. and 13 per cent from the European Union.

“Thus, Africa is confronted with the triple challenge of building resilience against climate impacts, addressing its energy shortages and determining a sustainable industrialisation pathway in line with the Africa Union Vision 2063.

“These issues are pertinent to Africa’s development, and as such, ITUC-Africa, as an organisation representing workers and with the vision of ‘creating a better world for workers in Africa and beyond’, reaffirms its commitment to advancing a just and equitable transition for Africa,” the ITUC-Africa stated.

The regional labour body observed that its 20th December 2024 meeting was a follow-up to the disappointment of the 29th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP29), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, last November, which failed to ensure genuine and pragmatic commitment to a financing arrangement that would assist most climate-change impacted economies to shore up adaptation and mitigation capabilities.

It disclosed that the meeting assessed the outcomes of COP29 and built a strategy for action for 2025. The virtual meeting brought together trade unions from across Africa and allies from civil society organisations in Africa.
 
It partly noted that the $300 billion agreed upon by 2035 is far from what developing countries need to boost climate action. However, despite the shortfalls, African trade unions recognise the importance of multilateralism as a mechanism and pathway to reaching a consensus on climate policy and emphasise the need for more political commitment to delivering the needed climate action in line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement.

The participants called on African governments to align climate policies with developmental policies and integrate just transition policies within Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

They also emphasised the importance of engagement and effective participation of all stakeholders, especially trade unions, in climate policies at the national level.

They also stressed the need for a public pathway to energy transition that ensures democratic ownership of public goods and guarantees clean, affordable and efficient energy systems for all.

In building a collective strategy for action, African trade unions commit themselves to expanding and revitalising the climate change network, including more Francophone affiliates. The ITUC-Africa called on all its affiliates to prioritise climate change work and collaborate with policymakers to advance a just transition for all.