A Worker-Centred Framework for Financing the Just Transition

The framework, co-produced with COSATU, argues that South Africa's transition must be treated as a public good to avoid the risks of private financing, such as increased inequality and higher energy costs. It advocates for an 'eco-socialism' approach and suggests specific financial mechanisms, including a Climate Response Fund and the reorientation of Development Finance Institutions, to ensure the transition creates jobs and reduces poverty.

• The current Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) estimates a requirement of R1.5 trillion for the energy sector, but existing pledges are insufficient and a heavy reliance on private financing may increase energy costs, sideline workers' rights, and reinforce inequality.
• The proposed financing framework suggests three primary policy reform areas: fiscal policy (including a Climate Response Fund, green bonds, and ring-fencing carbon tax and mineral royalty revenues), monetary policy (moving beyond inflation targeting to address climate-induced inflation and green industrialisation), and the reorientation of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) toward long-term socially just projects.
• The framework is based on COSATU’s 2022 Just Transition Blueprint for Workers and advocates for 'eco-socialism' to protect jobs and livelihoods and provide investment in skills, social protection, and access to land, water, and energy across the energy, mining, transport, and agriculture sectors.

APA

iej_admin (2025). A Worker-Centred Framework for Financing the Just Transition. Institute for Economic Justice. https://iej.org.za/resource/factsheet/a-worker-centred-framework-for-financing-the-just-transition/

Chicago

iej_admin. A Worker-Centred Framework for Financing the Just Transition. Institute for Economic Justice, 2025. https://iej.org.za/resource/factsheet/a-worker-centred-framework-for-financing-the-just-transition/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=iej_admin |title=A Worker-Centred Framework for Financing the Just Transition |publisher=Institute for Economic Justice |date=11 September 2025 |url=https://iej.org.za/resource/factsheet/a-worker-centred-framework-for-financing-the-just-transition/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{iejadmin2025workercentred, author = {iej\_admin}, title = {{A Worker-Centred Framework for Financing the Just Transition}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://iej.org.za/resource/factsheet/a-worker-centred-framework-for-financing-the-just-transition/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }