Ensuring a just transition through the creation of green jobs in cities

Cities account for about 80% of greenhouse gas emissions and will be home to about 70% of the world population by 2050. Transforming urban sectors is a key challenge and opportunity for achieving the Paris Agreement climate goals. This transition will affect national and urban economies and will have major jobs implications, especially in sectors like manufacturing, construction, mobility, waste management and energy generation. Climate action in cities will create green jobs premised on solving urban problems and catalyzing cities towards their pathway of becoming more sustainable, climate-resilient and carbon neutral. This panel will debate how such a transition can be designed in a just and equitable way (also from a gender perspective) through forward-looking urban, climate, economic and social policies in developing countries. Panelists will discuss policy options and needed partnerships for accelerating urban climate action while boosting green employment and urban economies. In light of the above, this is the right time to discuss what cities and local authorities can do to encourage the creation of green jobs. Given that many urban sectors need to decarbonize and develop ambitious climate plans and actions, this is an area where city and local authorities can innovate, using all the levers and policies at their disposal, while getting the right support from National governments. In particular, this networking event will address and discuss the following issues and questions: - identification of the local opportunities for the generation of green jobs, - state of the art of the assessment of green jobs (in the urban sectors), - urban sectors and actions with the highest potential to reduce GHG emissions while generating local green jobs, - what kind of skills will be required for the green transition and how cities can provide these skills? - engagement and alignment with the national governments' policies on innovation and support for urban sectors and industries, and explore opportunities for financing, - the need to develop an ‘ecosystem’ of green businesses, by strengthening links between universities and the private sector, and by providing essential infrastructure. - which would be the winning and losing urban sectors and how just transition policies can ensure that nobody is left behind, - examples and lessons learned on green jobs and just transition policies in developing countries, - the importance of energy efficiency retrofits of the building stock as a great catalyzer for the generation of green jobs. Representatives from local authorities in developing countries, the private sector and international organizations working in the field, will present their experiences and lessons learned and draw policy recommendations for green jobs and just transition policies in urban areas.