COP30: Beyond Coal: Advancing Inclusive and Equitable Just Transitions Across Asia

The global discourse on just transition has largely focused on the energy sector, particularly coal phase-out and JETPs. Yet, achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement demands deep, cross-sectoral and cross-regional transformations aligned with countries' NDCs. This session will challenge the conventional framing and explore what just transition means in contexts that are often overlooked, from fossil fuel-exporting economies and small island states to agriculture-dependent regions and trade-linked subnational economies. It will discuss how a just transition approach to country planning is a critical enabler of NDC implementation.

The session will explore the following questions:

• Expand the lens of just transition beyond energy.
• Explore regional and subnational nuances.
• Interrogate the role of trade, regional cooperation, and global finance in shaping equitable transitions.
• Highlight emerging models of just transition financing and governance from EMDEs.
• Discuss just transition as an enabler of NDC implementation