Bam! What is the acronym everyone is talking about at Cop30?

"All through the halls of the UN climate talks, civil society activists are wearing badges that read Bam!. They are not showing their fandom for old superhero comics but rather indicating their support for the Belem Action Mechanism (Bam), a proposal for states to drive action on a just transition towards a low-carbon economy. Securing the Bam is a top priority for climate justice advocates at Cop30."

"Proponents say that if a just transition is not a priority, climate action will unintentionally leave workers and communities behind. It is no secret that the current extractive energy systems and other polluting industries harm some people such as frontline workers and adjacent communities more than others. A new green economy should not replicate those trends, Bam proponents say, but should boost prosperity and minimise inequality."

"The concept of the just transition originated from the US labour movement, specifically from energy and chemical workers who said employees of polluting sectors should be supported and compensated as they move into more environmentally friendly jobs. It has since been taken up by civil society organisations and expanded to include all people affected by sectors that are shifting as climate policies are enacted. That includes workers in the booming transition minerals sector, as well as people living near mineral extraction sites."

The Belem Action Mechanism (Bam) proposes that states drive a just transition toward a low-carbon economy that supports workers and affected communities. Advocates argue that without prioritizing justice, climate action will leave workers and frontline communities behind and replicate harms from extractive energy systems and polluting industries. The just transition concept began in the US labor movement for energy and chemical workers and expanded to include all people affected by sectoral shifts, including communities near mineral extraction sites and those impacted by agricultural reforms. The Paris Agreement preamble recognized the need for a just transition and quality jobs aligned with national development priorities.

Read at www.theguardian.com