The African Group of Negotiators (AGN) on climate change, in collaboration with trade unions and civil society organisations, has adopted a workplan to establish a labour liaison mechanism ahead of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31), aimed at strengthening worker protections within Africa’s climate policies.
The decision was reached at a meeting in Accra, where representatives from the AGN, labour groups, and civil society discussed Africa’s common position under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa, the Sub-Saharan Africa Energy Network, ITUC-Africa, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the Ghana Trades Union Congress, among others.
As part of the roadmap towards the Subsidiary Body (SB64) sessions and COP31, participants agreed to establish an AGN-Trade Union Just Transition Work Programme liaison group with clearly defined terms of reference.
The workplan also includes the preparation of sector-specific evidence briefs covering employment, reskilling, critical minerals, and informal workers, as well as joint pre-sessional briefings and the development of a unified African labour position paper on just transition, carbon border measures, and equitable value chains.
Participants further plan to host a dedicated side event at COP31 focusing on African workers and the just transition agenda.
The meeting raised concerns over limited climate financing to the region, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa receives less than three per cent of global climate finance annually, with a significant portion delivered as loans.
Trade unions rejected the classification of loans as climate finance contributions, warning that such arrangements could worsen Africa’s debt vulnerabilities.
They also called for reforms in multilateral development banks, highlighting disparities in interest rates between African countries and those within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
On the issue of critical minerals, participants urged African governments to prioritise local processing of resources such as lithium and cobalt to boost job creation and enhance value addition, rather than exporting raw materials.
Trade unions expressed concern about the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, arguing that it risks shifting the burden of the global energy transition onto African producers and workers.
They advocated the strengthening of regional value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to improve competitiveness and resilience.
The meeting also underscored the importance of protecting informal sector workers and promoting gender equity in climate action.
Participants called for stronger alignment between International Labour Organization standards and climate finance frameworks, as well as increased support for women and youth participation in the emerging green economy.
Dr Nana Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Chairperson of the AGN, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to incorporating labour concerns into climate negotiations.
“AGN remains committed to systematically integrating labour considerations, deepening stakeholder engagement, and providing guidance throughout the negotiation process,” he said.
Ms Paule-France Ndessomin, Regional Secretary of IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasised that the just energy transition must prioritise workers and communities.
“The climate change discourse is increasingly focusing on protecting workers and communities. For African trade unions, a just energy transition is also about resisting new forms of green extractivism,” she said.
The meeting, supported by IndustriALL, Danish trade union 3F, and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Senegal, brought together participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
