From 8–10 September, the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Addis Ababa brought together more than 25,000 delegates, including heads of state, civil society leaders, development partners, academia, youth groups, and others, across 23 pavilions and 240 official and side events under the theme “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development”. Jacob’s Ladder Africa (JLA) hosted the Green Jobs and Skills Pavilion, the first ACS platform fully dedicated to positioning green jobs and skills at the heart of Africa’s just transition.
The Pavilion was co-created alongside AGRA, WWF, SNV, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Addis Ababa University (AAU), Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA),, World Vision, and P4G, among others, and convened government, private sector, civil society, academia, women, youth and grassroots communities to push one clear message that, Africa’s climate ambition must translate into livelihoods.
Over 17 sessions across the three days of the summit, several clear messages emerged:
- Africa cannot achieve a just transition without closing the green skills gap.
- At least 10% of climate finance should go into skills training and enterprise development to prepare Africa’s green workforce
- Climate investments must generate inclusive employment and enterprise opportunities.
- Youth, women, marginalised groups, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) are not just beneficiaries, but indispensable actors who bring knowledge, creativity, and leadership to climate action.
These priorities carried into the wider Summit outcomes, with the final submission made to the ACS2 Declaration recognising skills development, human mobility, and cross-border cooperation as essential elements of just transitions and green jobs.
Looking beyond ACS2, the Pavilion’s outcomes will inform policy, finance, and grassroots action, cementing green jobs and skills as the backbone of Africa’s climate and development journey. JLA and partners remain committed to advancing this agenda.
Download the Green Jobs & Skills Pavilion Outcomes Report here: https://jacobsladder.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Jacobs-Ladder-Africa-Outcome-Report_ACS2_AddisAbaba_2025.pdf
