Beyond Targets: Understanding the Belém-Antalya Mechanism at COP31 and India's Stake

What is the 'Just Transition' and why is it critical now?

The concept of a 'Just Transition' refers to the principle that workers and communities should be supported in the shift to a low-carbon economy, ensuring the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities (Source: Carbon Brief). This principle, central to climate justice, originated in the 1980s with US labour unions and environmental justice groups. Its significance grew, culminating in its inclusion in the preamble to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which commits parties to "tak[e] into account the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce" (Source: Carbon Brief).

The urgency of this mechanism is underscored by recent scientific assessments. Two reports released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) earlier in 2026 concluded that the window to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels is now "firmly shut." The world is likely to restrict temperature rise to 1.7-1.8°C (Source: Indian Express, Nov 10, 2026). This marks the first time such an assertion has been made by a scientific assessment, shifting the focus of climate summits from merely setting targets to implementing practical, equitable solutions for a world already experiencing climate impacts (Source: Indian Express, Nov 10, 2026).

How did the Belém-Antalya Mechanism (BAM) emerge?

The formal institutionalisation of just transition discussions began with the establishment of a "work programme on just transition" (JTWP) at COP27 in Egypt (Source: Carbon Brief). However, the JTWP proved to be a challenging negotiating space, marked by disagreements between developed and developing countries regarding its scope. Developed nations preferred a focus on domestic workforces, while some developing nations advocated for a more global outlook, including support for transitions in their own countries (Source: Carbon Brief).

These frustrations led civil society groups to push for an "institutional arrangement" that would translate the JTWP's discussions into concrete action, initially termed the "Belém action mechanism" (Source: Carbon Brief). This advocacy gained traction, with a draft text at the Bonn climate negotiations in June 2025 including the idea for such a mechanism, specifically in Paragraph 28 of the JTWP text published on June 25, 2025 (Source: Carbon Brief). The G77 and China, a coalition of developing countries, subsequently put forward their own proposal for a just transition "mechanism" to provide technical assistance and foster international cooperation. This proposal faced initial pushback from developed countries like Norway and the UK, who raised concerns about duplication and additional funding, with the EU suggesting an "action plan" as an alternative to a "mechanism" (Source: Carbon Brief).