Introduction

Ensuring that no one is left behind or pushed behind in the shift to low-carbon and environmentally sustainable economies and societies is a matter of equity and justice but also critical, pragmatically, to ensure sustained climate action over time. From its origins in compensation for job losses, the concept of just transition has grown to incorporate different notions of justice, different kinds of transition, and different levels of ambition (see Annex). The concept of a just transition has also taken root in international agreements, meetings, declarations, and reports, including the Paris Agreement, successive Conferences of the Parties (COPs) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the High-Level Political Forum. A number of Just Transition Partnerships are underway, and, in June 2023, a group of world leaders released an open letter on “a green transition that leaves no one behind”. Ensuring a globally just transition requires tackling some of the deep-rooted development challenges. This Policy Note compiles perspectives from the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) and individual members on different dimensions of a globally just transition.

Sustainable Development Goals:

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