Conference “Skills for Green and Just Transitions – Potential and Challenges with a Focus on Africa and South Eastern Europe”

Keynote speakers: Presha Ramsarup (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, online), Alessandra Molz (ILO Budapest)

Given the urgency of the climate crisis, there appears to be no alternative to transitioning to green and just economies at a global scale. However, such transitions present both opportunities and challenges, particularly in the global South.

One of the challenges is the absence or weakness of the required skills for these transitions, or even the knowledge about which skills are and will be needed. This calls for an enhanced role for Vocational Education and Training (VET) as well as skills development. Yet, particularly in low and middle income countries VET systems are confronted with manifold challenges.

Against this background, a broad discussion on the role of VET in transitioning to green and just economies has unfolded. A broad variety of stakeholders advance different and not always complementary approaches ranging from specific measures to alternative conceptions at the systemic levels. Pressing open issues include the question of how to avoid leaving certain groups behind.

The event shall discuss the potential and challenges of VET and skills development for green and just transitions from various angles. It intends to bring together the academic community, policy makers as well as civil society organisations in a dialogue, which shall range from broad societal questions to the discussion of successful implementation. In particular, it shall discuss issues of labour market relevance, social inclusion and justice. It will focus discussions on Sub-Sahara Africa and South-East Europe.

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Conveners: Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE), Austrian Development Agency (ADA)

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