The year 2015 was marked by three milestone events. The Third International Conference on Financing for Development (Addis Ababa, July 2015) adopted an outcome document which called for efforts to advance “…fully towards an equitable global economic system in which no country or person is left behind, enabling decent work and productive livelihoods for all, while preserving the planet for our children and future generations”. Recognizing that it provides a global framework for shaping development cooperation for the next 15 years, the outcome represents a significant shift in thinking about development by linking finance and resource mobilization to the promotion of decent work. While the two previous conferences at Monterrey and Doha made reference to employment, for the first time the Addis Ababa Action Agenda prioritizes and mainstreams the Decent Work Agenda throughout the various sections of the outcome document.

In September the United Nations unanimously adopted the most ambitious programme for world socio-economic development ever. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) embody all aspects of the Decent Work Agenda across several dimensions. The fresh landscape for development cooperation offered by the SDGs with their extensive inclusion of decent work concerns calls for a more flexible, efficient and responsive approach by all concerned. Various efforts are under way in the ILO to streamline its operations and maximize on its comparative advantage and capacities.

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change was signed by 175 countries, ushering in an era of unprecedented action to protect the environment, slash greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure a just transition to a low-carbon economy. Climate change and employment present interrelated challenges requiring coordinated responses, since labour markets can contribute significantly to climate action by generating jobs, enhancing environmental sustainability and promoting social justice. The ILO’s Green Centenary Initiative will help give practical effect to the ILO’s new Guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all.
Together, these three landmarks will shape international cooperation for the foreseeable future.