United News 24 Desk ::
Youth leaders and labor activists have urged COP30 negotiators to adopt the Trade Union Charter for COP30 as a roadmap for ensuring workers’ rights and social justice in the global climate transition.
The call came at a youth gathering titled “Youth for Workers’ Demand,” organized by the Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF) on Thursday (November 6) in Banani, Dhaka. The event focused on promoting a worker-centered Just Transition within global and national climate policies ahead of COP30, set to take place in Belém, Brazil.
Md. Zubaer Alam, Programme Coordinator of BLF, presented the keynote, outlining the key demands of workers and trade unions in the Charter. He highlighted that the document emphasizes decent work, social protection, social dialogue, and the active participation of workers in decision-making as essential elements of a fair and inclusive climate transition.
Speaking at the event, Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, said Just Transition must go beyond technology or emissions reduction. “Just Transition is not merely about mitigation or loss and damage; it is the transformation from a fossil-fuel-driven economy to a sustainable one where workers are at the center and no one is left behind,” he said.
He added, “It is not only about solar panels or technology. It is about inclusion and ensuring that workers and communities have a voice in shaping climate action.”
Saila Sobnom, Additional National Coordinator of YouthNet Global and Youth Delegate to COP30 from Bangladesh, reaffirmed her commitment to carrying the voices of Bangladeshi workers and young people to the global stage. “As a youth representative, I will make sure the Trade Union Charter and workers’ perspectives remain central to international climate negotiations,” she said.
Participants expressed hope that Bangladesh’s COP30 delegation will uphold the principles of the Charter during all discussions, representing the aspirations of the country’s workers for a just, inclusive, and equitable transition.
The event concluded with a strong call for global solidarity, urging world leaders and negotiators to recognize that climate justice and labor justice are inseparable and that a worker-centered Just Transition is the cornerstone of a sustainable and fair future for all.
