Just Transition Forum Asia 2023

During 6-8 September 2023, the Regional Climate and Energy Project of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Asia in collaboration with Climate Action Network Southeast Asia (CANSEA) held the third edition of our flagship international virtual event – Just Transition Forum Asia (JTFA) to discuss how Just Transition trends and models could look like in cities across Asia and beyond.

Two plenary sessions highlighted landmark developments on Just Transition that have taken place worldwide at the global, national and sub-national levels. These developments include including the Just Transition Work Programme adopted at the United Nations climate conference and expansion of the Just Energy Transition Partnerships. While this forum has a primary focus on Asia, developments at the global and national levels elsewhere will influence progress on Just Transition in this region. Participants were updated with the latest information on these developments by representatives of different stakeholders directly involved in these processes – the United Nations, national and sub-national governments, trade unions and civil society.

Accompanying these sessions were eight Transformational Labs which presented good practices on implementing Just Transition across different sectors. Given the critical role of cities in addressing climate change, various labs discussed groundbreaking Just Transition trends and models in cities across Asia. They were complemented by Labs on other critical sectors such as health, plastics and lighting.

Since its inception in 2021, JTFA has been a springboard for leading experts from governments, climate funds, businesses, think tanks, trade unions, civil society and communities in Asia and beyond, to make policy recommendations on shaping a socially inclusive and climate-resilient future in the Asian region, based on Just Transition. Combined with the good practice-focused dialogue on implementing Just Transition through the Labs, JTFA has presented practical evidence and pathways on making the transformation from carbon-intensive industries and practices towards a decarbonizing future.