21 Sep 2022

Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs has launched a project dubbed Just Transition to a Greener World of Work in Botswana to address climate change issues and create opportunities through the green economy sectors and value chains.

Speaking at the launch in Gaborone on September 20,  Minister Anna Mokgethi said the project would influence policy development and target small women and youth-owned businesses to build capacity for resilience and pursuing ventures in the green world. 

“At the end of the project implementation, it is envisaged that the concept ‘Just Transition’ will be institutionalised in the development agenda of the country, wherein the social and economic opportunities of climate action will be maximised while minimising challenges,” she said. She noted that climate change was not only an environmental concern, but an economic and social problem that required a holistic approach to respond to the resultant challenges.

Undertaken in partnership with ILO, the project will run until May 2023.  

Ms Mokgethi said the project came at the right time when Botswana was facing challenges brought about by climate change and needed solutions to address them.

“In Botswana where there is a high level of unemployment and inequality, there is need to ensure that the response to climate change does not add to the already existing challenges and in the process, people unduly suffer,” she said.

Minister Mokgethi said the project would require concerted efforts of social partners including employers represented by Business Botswana, and workers through the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions and Botswana Federation of Public, Private and Parastatal Sector Unions as well as civil society. Project activities include capacity building for key stakeholders to assist them in understanding and appreciating climate change issues and just transition to deal with them appropriately. 

For his part, Mr Jimmy Opelo, who is the ministry’s permanent secretary, said the project was a significant milestone in that it demonstrated different sectors’ concerted efforts to address climate change and its impacts. 

He said the poorest and most vulnerable in the world of work were the most affected by climate change.

 That was one key area just transition processes must address, said Mr Opelo.

Another speaker, ILO regional director, Mr Joni Musabayani said sustainable development was possible with the active engagement of the world of work. He said if employers and workers were not passive bystanders, but agents of change by developing new pathways to sustainability, economies would be productive to meet the needs of the growing population. 

“Societies must be inclusive, providing opportunities for decent work for all, reducing inequalities and effectively eliminating poverty,” he said. Ends