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Contribution to the Women and Gender Constituency Submission on the Operationalisation of the Belém Antalya Mechanism (BAM)
We contributed to the submission presented by the Women and Gender Constituency (WGC) on the operationalisation of the Belém–Antalya Mechanism (BAM), a new institutional arrangement under the UNFCCC aimed at advancing just transitions globally. Our contribution focuses on ensuring that the BAM becomes a transformative, rights-based mechanism that not only coordinates action but actively delivers equitable support for countries and communities on the frontlines of the climate emergency.
As climate impacts intensify and the global transition away from fossil fuels accelerates, existing inequalities risk deepening—both between and within countries. Without deliberate, justice-centred design, transition processes may reproduce structural injustices, leaving workers, communities, and countries with fewer resources to prepare for the worst effects of the climate emergency. At the same time, geopolitical tensions, fiscal constraints, and fragmented support systems continue to hinder the implementation of ambitious and inclusive just transition pathways. Against this backdrop, this joint submission outlines how the BAM can move from political commitment to operational reality. It underscores that the mechanism must be grounded in human rights, gender equality, and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC), while ensuring the meaningful participation of rightsholders—including workers, Indigenous Peoples, women and gender-diverse people, youth, and other frontline communities.
Central to the proposal is the design of the BAM as a facilitative, action-oriented mechanism, structured around three core, interconnected functions: coordination and coherence, knowledge building, and action and support. Together, these functions aim to bridge persistent gaps in the current landscape by strengthening cooperation, systematising knowledge, and delivering concrete technical, financial, and capacity-building support to those who need it most.
The submission further highlights that operationalising the BAM requires embedding just transition principles into every aspect of its work. The submission highlights that the operationalisation of the mechanism must be guided by the principles deriving from the Dialogues hosted by the Just Transition Work Programme and included in the COP30 resolution. Those include ensuring human rights, labour rights, gender equality, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, among other key guiding principles that must be embedded in every aspect of the mechanism’s design.
This submission ultimately aims to ensure that the BAM becomes a cornerstone of international climate action, actively enabling the systemic transformations required for a just, equitable, and sustainable future.