Amman, July 2 (Petra) -- The General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions (GFJTU), in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), held a preparatory meeting on Thursday to draft a union position paper on a just transition and workers' priorities within the framework of reviewing the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0).
The meeting, which brought together climate action experts and specialists, marks the beginning of a series of consultations involving labor unions.
During the opening session, GFJTU President Khaled Fanatseh emphasized the importance of boosting the labor movement's participation in formulating national climate policies. This ensures that workers' voices are heard and their priorities are integrated into the NDC review process, aiming to unify the union stance from a labor perspective regarding the challenges posed by climate change.
Bashayer Kreishan, head of GFJTUGreen Economy Unit, delivered a presentation reviewing the history of cooperation between the federation and the ILO in the areas of a just transition and green jobs. She stressed the significance of preparing a position paper that reflects the vision of workers and supports their involvement in relevant national policies.
Jawad Dukhgan, the just transition officer at the ILO, reviewed the concepts of a just transition and green jobs and their relationship to the NDC review process. He discussed previous collaborative programs with the federation, the importance of engaging workers and unions in climate policies, and the connection between climate change and Jordan's labor market.
Ahmad Hijazi, the national coordinator for the NDC Partnership, presented updates on Jordan's NDC review process, the expected timeline for completion, and opportunities for social partners, particularly labor unions, to participate in this process.
Abdul Jawad Al-Natsheh, the consultant tasked with drafting the paper, presented the methodology for preparing the federation's position paper. He outlined its objectives, the consultation plan, implementation mechanisms, and the specific roles of the federation and the unions.
The meeting featured an interactive consultative session where participants discussed workers' priorities regarding a just transition, the expected impacts of climate change and climate policies on job opportunities and income, and the guarantees needed to protect workers and maximize their benefits from green economy opportunities. This session aimed to crystallize the key messages to be included in the position paper.
The participants concluded the meeting by agreeing to continue consultations with labor unions and established coordination mechanisms and a work plan to complete the drafting of the federation's position paper.
//Petra// AF
