Since it began in 2022, the Innovation Regions for a Just Energy Transition (IKI JET) project has actively supported coal regions across Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Mongolia, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam as they transition away from fossil fuels towards clean energy. To make these transitions as fair and “just” as possible for the affected workers and communities, the work of IKI JET draws on the cooperation between the project’s founding consortium members, each representing a distinct group of just transition stakeholders: Climate Action Network (CAN) International, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and the Wuppertal Institute.

Each consortium member played an active role in defining the scope of the project, thereby ensuring that all stakeholder groups were represented in the early stages and marking IKI JET out as unique in the breadth and depth of its collaboration. The ITUC, as a trade union body representing 191 million workers in 169 countries, was instrumental in shaping the project during the preparation phase, ensuring that workers’ rights and voices were placed front and centre in all activities and that the ILO guidelines served as a basis for the project.

In March 2024, solely due to capacity limitations, the ITUC transitioned from being a consortium partner to being a member of IKI JET’s Circle of Friends (CoF). As a group of partner organisations and initiatives, the CoF provides guidance, conceptual exchange, and coordination and joint implementation of project activities. In its new role therefore, the ITUC remains actively involved in the success of the project.

To underscore IKI JET’s continued commitment to ensuring that worker perspectives are represented during project implementation, the Solidarity Center, an international workers’ rights organisation based in the United States, joined the project as an implementing partner for activities under the project’s Colombia and global component in August 2024. In addition, Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA, the global justice organisation of the Australian union movement, has been providing active support on the ground in Indonesia since July 2024.

Statements from partners:

With gratitude for the opportunity, the ITUC has made the decision to transition from a consortium member of IKI JET to member of the Circle of Friends (CoF). The ITUC was deeply engaged during the planning and set-up phase of the project and is committed to ensuring the project’s success in our new role. While we regret this shift, the result of capacity considerations only, we affirm our belief in the project’s significance. We extend our best wishes to our fellow consortium partners and express full confidence in their ability to represent worker perspectives effectively.— ITUC

The Solidarity Center is happy to be joining the IKI-JET programme and this consortium of committed partners to magnify the work of trade unions and workers to organise, negotiate, and achieve economic and social justice in the context of ambitious and necessary climate action. This project is an important opportunity to put into practice a coordinated, social dialogue-based just transition for workers and their communities.— Solidarity Center

We want to express our sincere gratitude to the ITUC for their important contributions to our project. Their insights from the perspective of unions were incredibly valuable during the planning phase. Although the ITUC won’t be continuing as part of our consortium team, we are pleased that the organisation is still involved in our Circle of Friends. To demonstrate our commitment to keeping IKI JET inclusive and ensuring that the voices of unions are heard, we are delighted to welcome the Solidarity Center and APHEDA as implementing partners of the project.—Philipp Schattenmann, Head of Programme, IKI JET, GIZ