About the Project
Efforts to formulate policies and implement measurable actions to mitigate global emissions are rapidly increasing. While interventions are progressing significantly in the Global North, they remain relatively sluggish in the Global South. In response, international organisations and intergovernmental conferences have introduced comprehensive programmes and policies aimed at transitioning to a low-carbon and sustainable global economy. A notable milestone in this effort is the inclusion of the concept of a 'just transition' in the Paris Agreement of 2015.
Despite these advancements, critical questions remain about the adoption and implications of the just transition for different groups of workers, employers, and their associations. This PhD project aims to investigate the collective voice and participation of workers' unions and employers' associations in the social dialogue surrounding the transition to a low-carbon economy in the Global South.
Key research questions include:
How do workers’ unions in the Global South, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, engage in the transition to a low or post-carbon economy?
How do employers’ associations in the Global South contribute to this transition?
What are the roles of, and prospects for, contention and cooperation between unions and employers’ associations in this context?
The study will adopt a qualitative research methodology, employing ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and document analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of these dynamics.
94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent. REF 2021