Left to right: Dr. Pamela Levira – African Union, Ujunwa Ojemeni – E3G,
Dr. Tedd Moya – University of Oxford, Anne Songole – CLASP
Kingsley Ofei-Nkasah – GD Resource Center
By Churchill Simiyu
Nairobi, Kenya – Wednesday, 28th May 2025
In a major milestone for Africa’s climate leadership, the Just Transition Platform (JTP) officially launched the Principles for a Just and Equitable Transition during a high-level convening held at the Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi. The gathering brought together influential African experts and leaders in energy, finance, gender justice, and the world of work, sending a strong signal that Africa is ready to lead on its own terms in the face of climate change.
The launch capped a three-year journey that began with the platform’s establishment in 2022 and continued through extensive consultations, regional workshops, and validation processes. With co-conveners ClimateWorks Foundation and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Africa at the helm, the Just Transition Platform has grown into a credible and inclusive initiative focused on ensuring that climate action in Africa centers equity, justice, and local realities.
Speaking during the launch, Dr. Pamela Levira of the African Union emphasized that the platform is not simply an academic exercise, but a dynamic space for African collaboration and solution-making. She highlighted that the principles reflect continental aspirations aligned with global frameworks, while also demanding that Africa’s needs, experiences, and leadership be recognized in international climate negotiations.
Ujunwa Ojemeni of E3G underscored the importance of rejecting top-down climate strategies that fail to resonate with African communities. She noted that for too long, Africa has been treated as a passive recipient of climate solutions developed elsewhere. The launch of these principles, she said, repositions Africa as a proactive shaper of its own climate destiny.
The principles unveiled cover five priority sectors—energy, trade and finance, the world of work, agriculture and land use, and the care economy—each grounded in a firm commitment to justice, sovereignty, and inclusive development. In the energy sector, the emphasis is on sustainable resource management, energy justice, and innovation. Countries are encouraged to adopt transition models that integrate local knowledge and technological advancement, ensuring communities have access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
For trade, investment, and finance, the principles advocate for fair systems that reduce structural debt and dependency, while emphasizing transparency, safeguards, and African-led partnerships. This vision challenges historical models where Africa’s wealth is extracted with little benefit to its people, calling instead for shared prosperity rooted in economic dignity.
Dr. Tedd Moya from the University of Oxford highlighted the critical role of labour in climate resilience. He stated that any successful climate policy must include social protection, decent work, and legally guaranteed rights for workers in both formal and informal sectors. He warned that without deliberate inclusion, climate reforms could deepen inequalities, especially for Africa’s youth, women, and vulnerable workers.
Anne Songole from CLASP spoke on the often overlooked care economy, reminding participants that unpaid and underpaid care work is at the core of African resilience. She called for gender-responsive climate action that values and supports women’s contributions, especially in rural and last-mile communities. The principles advocate for the transformation of care systems and the full inclusion of women in climate leadership across all sectors.
Kingsley Ofei-Nkasah of the GD Resource Center reiterated the importance of community-rooted action. He stressed that a truly just transition must challenge extractive models and promote African control over natural and financial resources. He pointed out that the transition must be informed by local realities, from energy poverty and land inequality to structural financial barriers.
The day’s program featured a dynamic session titled “Advancing Just Transition in Africa: Climate Change and the World of Work.” Government officials, civil society leaders, and international experts engaged in dialogue on how to harmonize national development goals with climate resilience, technological transformation, and social justice. The conversations reflected growing consensus that climate ambition must go beyond emissions reductions to tackle the deeper systemic issues that threaten African livelihoods.
With the unveiling of the Principles, Africa takes a confident step forward in demanding climate solutions that serve the people, not just the markets. The document lays a foundation for embedding justice across national climate plans, investment decisions, and development strategies. As countries prepare their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement, the principles offer a timely and comprehensive framework to ensure that the transition is not only green, but also fair and inclusive.
The Nairobi launch marks a turning point where Africa no longer accepts externally imposed blueprints but instead offers its own, built from the ground up. The Just Transition Platform’s work sends a clear message: Africa’s transition will be African-led, socially just, and deeply rooted in the aspirations of its people.