Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said at the COP28 that the body will ensure that social safety nets and insurance policies are provided for workers who may lose their jobs in the face of the global energy transition.
As the world begins the move away from fossil fuels, there have been calls for a ‘just transition‘ that leaves no one — including persons who work in fossil fuel companies, and whose jobs might be affected — behind.
At the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, the NLC organised a side event with the theme: ‘Justice for workers in the just transition’, aimed at pushing for rights of workers as talks to move to cleaner energy gains momentum globally.
“Despite the global perception of job losses, I don’t seem to believe so, especially coming from the energy sector,”
“A transition that will bring about energy sufficiency and eradicate power poverty would be almost 100,000 megawatts or more. And then this diversification in the process of bringing clean energy will create more jobs and not job losses.
“Yes we battle to reduce emissions, however, more jobs will be created. These are virgin areas that if we manage well and check the level of emissions, we’ll have more workers working.
“However, in anticipation of the transition, as representatives of workers organisations, we’re going to make provisions for social safety nets, pension policies and insurance policies for people who may lose their jobs.
“I think that’s an area for us because the pension and insurance policies today are grossly inadequate.”
