The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS) of Türkiye, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Türkiye, convened a two-day national training programme on 21-22 May 2026 to support the development of Türkiye's National Just Transition Strategy ahead of UN Climate Change Conference COP31, which will be hosted in Türkiye later this year.
Bringing together representatives from government institutions, workers' and employers' organizations, academia, international organizations and civil society, the training aimed to strengthen awareness, institutional capacity and policy coordination on just transition within the framework of Türkiye's green and digital transformation.
Opening the training, Yasser Hassan, Director of the ILO Office for Türkiye, and Oğuz Tuncay, Director General of Labour at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS), delivered their remarks and emphasized the importance of strengthening capacities for an inclusive and effective just transition process in Türkiye.
The programme focused on international experience and national priorities related to just transition, including climate governance, employment impacts, skills development, social protection and social dialogue.
Sessions featured technical contributions from representatives of the Presidency of Climate Change of Türkiye, the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat, Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Türkiye, Presidency of Strategy and Budget of Türkiye, the European Commission, Spain's Just Transition Institute, EU-Türkiye Green Industry Transformation, and ILO specialists from headquarters and field offices.
Moustapha Kamal Gueye, Director of the ILO Action Programme on Just Transitions, presented international frameworks and ILO guidance on ensuring that environmental sustainability is pursued alongside social justice and decent work.
Social partners in Türkiye also shared perspectives on the opportunities and challenges associated with the digital transition. Representatives from TİSK, TÜRK-İŞ, HAK-İŞ and DİSK, Türkiye's largest employers' and workers' confederations, discussed priorities related to employment, social protection, industrial transformation and workers' rights.
The training also reviewed progress in the preparation of Türkiye's National Just Transition Strategy, which is being developed through a participatory process coordinated by MoLSS under the framework of the Just Transition Policies Specialised Working Group (AGEP). Established in 2022, AGEP brings together public institutions, workers' and employers' organizations, research centres, think tanks and non-governmental organizations to support coordination and stakeholder engagement on just transition policies.
To date, the strategy development process has included sectoral consultations, thematic workshops and analytical studies focusing on areas such as skills adaptation, social protection, vulnerable groups, financing mechanisms and women's empowerment.
Participants emphasized that a successful just transition requires strong social dialogue, targeted skills policies and inclusive labour market measures to ensure that no one is left behind.
Türkiye's transition towards a low-carbon economy is expected to significantly reshape labour markets, production systems and skills needs. The Government of Türkiye has increasingly integrated just transition considerations into national policy frameworks, including the National Employment Strategy 2025-2028, the 12th Development Plan and the 2024-2030 Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies and Action Plans.
A major milestone was reached with the adoption of Türkiye's Climate Law in 2025, which formally recognizes just transition as a guiding principle in achieving the country's 2053 net-zero emissions target and green growth vision.
The ILO Office for Türkiye and the MoLSS will continue their close cooperation through the organization of comprehensive training programmes aimed at supporting the development and effective implementation of Türkiye's Just Transition strategy.
