Brazil Stands at a Pivotal Moment to Implement a Fair Transition Plan that Respects Indigenous Rights and Protects Ecosystems
The upcoming COP30 conference in Belém, Brazil, presents a historic opportunity to advance the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP), a global initiative aimed at ensuring climate action is fair, inclusive, and equitable. However, major gaps remain in the programme's commitment to Indigenous Peoples' rights, nature-based solutions, and the phase-out of fossil fuels.
Established at COP27 in 2022, the JTWP was designed to support workers, communities, and marginalized groups, including Indigenous Peoples. Yet, the programme's progress has been slow, with significant political resistance and disagreements. At COP29 in Baku, a final decision on the JTWP was not reached due to disputes over including references to phasing out fossil fuels and explicit recognition of Indigenous Peoples' rights.
The current status of Indigenous Peoples’ rights within the JTWP is cautious and contested, particularly in the context of the upcoming COP30 negotiations. The informal note from SB62 references the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. However, key demands, such as recognizing Indigenous Peoples' collective rights, the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent, and the need for explicit recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact, are still missing or inadequately reflected.
Civil society groups are urging Brazil, as the incoming COP30 president, to strengthen the JTWP with strong Indigenous rights protections, ecosystem safeguards, and a clear commitment to phase out fossil fuels. The new global platform, considered the most promising path for the JTWP's implementation beyond COP30, must embed meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples, provide technical assistance and capacity building, ensure adequate resources, and be informed by key international frameworks.
The Fourth Dialogue of the JTWP, expected around September 2025, will be a key moment to influence the next draft of the JTWP, particularly paragraph 11, which currently includes a placeholder for "key messages" from this dialogue. This dialogue is not just a procedural requirement but a crucial political space to influence the substance of the JTWP.
Indigenous-managed territories are vital for carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection, often having equal or better conservation outcomes than state-protected areas. The Fourth Dialogue will primarily focus on the energy sector and its impacts on Indigenous Peoples. The Parties to the UNFCCC Convention must choose a path that ensures a just transition for the sake of humanity and the 8.7 million species sharing the planet.
The JTWP is essential for ensuring a fair, inclusive, and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy, particularly for Indigenous Peoples whose rights, livelihoods, and cultures are threatened by a new wave of extractivism driven by the energy transition. Any compromise on human rights or Indigenous Peoples' rights during COP30 could undermine the credibility of the JTWP and betray the principles launched at the 1992 Earth Summit.
As the host of COP30, Brazil holds considerable political capital and a responsibility to uphold human rights and Indigenous Peoples' rights in the JTWP's implementation. The slow progress so far and resistance by entrenched interests highlight ongoing challenges. Nevertheless, the JTWP remains a work in progress with a key moment expected at COP30 in Belém, where Indigenous Peoples' rights and protections could be more firmly anchored in the programme’s implementation framework.
Monitor the UNFCCC Just Transition Work Programme webpage and UNFCCC Secretariat notifications for updates on the Fourth Dialogue. The future of climate justice may well depend on the decisions made in Belém.
- In the context of the upcoming COP30 conference, it's crucial to strengthen the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) by addressing the gaps in its commitment to Indigenous Peoples' rights, nature-based solutions, and the phase-out of fossil fuels, as these issues are central to environmental-science and climate-change policy-and-legislation.
- The JTWP, designed to support workers and marginalized groups, has faced significant political resistance and disagreements, and it's essential for the upcoming COP30 in Belém, Brazil, to ensure a clear and strong commitment to Indigenous rights protections, ecosystem safeguards, and a firm phase-out of fossil fuels, as discussed in the general-news and political spheres.
- As the host of COP30, Brazil has a significant role to play in advancing the JTWP by embedding meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples, providing technical assistance, ensuring adequate resources, and reflecting international frameworks, thereby securing a just transition for Indigenous Peoples and upholding their rights in the face of new waves of extractivism. This step aligns with the goal of a fair, inclusive, and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy, as part of both environmental-science and climate-change policy-and-legislation.
