This was expressed in his first speech at the Climate Summit held in Madrid between December 2 and 13 (COP25 Chile-Madrid), in which he presented the panel on "Decent Work and economic growth: A transition fair towards an inclusive green economy. "
In his speech, Magdalena Valerio said that the transition to a sustainable economy must be seen as "a powerful generator of opportunities to create quality employment and business growth." The path is "adequate and well-designed" public policies and strategic frameworks, in which the right to the training of workers throughout life is contemplated and social protection is ensured, also to new forms of employment.
Also, in order to overcome the challenges for employment that just transitions to sustainable economies entail, the acting minister considers that fluid dialogue with social agents and other public administrations is essential.
Valerio has explained that job insecurity and long-term unemployment, particularly among young people and the elderly, "represent a threat to social cohesion." That is why the fight against climate change, "something crucial for the sustainability of our planet", must be carried out under conditions of social justice, or it will increase inequality and exclusion. In short, "we will only achieve a new social contract when the social and environmental objectives support each other," he said.
In this line of action, there are some of the initiatives promoted by the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Social Security such as the Master Plan for Decent Work to Fight Fraud, the rise of the Minimum Interprofessional Salary and the crash plans to reduce unemployment of young people and the long-term unemployed. In addition, Valerio has announced that the National Fair Transition Strategy will be integrated into the Annual Employment Policy Plans, paying special attention to equal opportunities between women and men and to the improvement of employment services in vulnerable territories.
National Fair Transition Strategy
Throughout her presentation, the acting minister has reiterated the Government's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda, as well as with the recommendations of the Paris Agreement and the Guidelines for a Just Transition of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Valerio recalled that "Spain is the first country in the world to develop a National Strategy for Just Transition." The agreement signed between the Government of Spain and the ILO in July 2018 laid the foundations of this process, which frames the Framework Agreement for a Just Transition of Coal Mining and the Sustainable Development of the Mining Regions for the Period 2019-2027. This text, agreed with social agents and other administrations, tries to respond to the social and economic consequences of the forced closure of coal mines in compliance with European Union legislation.
Specifically, the framework agreement for the mining regions includes early retirement and incentive losses for the workers of the mining companies destined to close. In addition, it includes training plans and support for labor insertion. And a fund of 250 million euros is planned, for a period of five years, aimed at supporting business initiatives and development of the affected regions, to achieve their structural transformation, economic recovery and social welfare.
"The objective is to neutralize the negative consequences of energy transformations and maximize opportunities," explained Magdalena Valerio. "And none of this will be possible without an environment that fosters the companies of the future, sustainable and greener."