Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative condemns Just Transition draft

By Ryan Bachoo

The Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative has criticised the first draft of the proposed Just Transition Mechanism at COP31, describing it as an “insult” to principles agreed by countries at last year’s climate summit in Brazil.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Antalya, Türkiye, the initiative said the informal draft note, released late on Friday, failed to provide the institutional support and practical measures needed to advance a just transition away from fossil fuels.

The draft is expected to serve as the basis for negotiations among countries at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Amiera Sawas, head of policy and research at the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, said the text offered a mechanism in name only, without meaningful functions or the means to implement its objectives.

“We left Belém with a clear understanding: just transitions need institutional support, and the time for talk shops is over. Yet this draft gives us another talk shop,” Sawas said.

She argued that the proposed mechanism fell short of expectations established at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where countries agreed on the need for greater institutional support for communities and workers affected by the transition to cleaner energy.

Sawas warned that continued reliance on promises without practical implementation could undermine confidence among workers and vulnerable communities, potentially fuelling resistance to climate action.

She called on countries to reject the draft and push for a stronger framework that would bring governments and practitioners together while connecting financial resources with projects and national transition plans.

“Justice needs structures, not endless hollow words,” she said.

The criticism comes as just transition arrangements remain a key issue in discussions at COP31, with developing countries and civil society groups pressing for mechanisms that translate climate commitments into tangible support for affected communities.

The negotiations will determine whether the proposed mechanism can move beyond broad commitments towards practical institutional arrangements and implementation.