The two initiatives jointly advanced just transition efforts across Europe, Central Asia and the Western Balkans by strengthening peer learning, social dialogue and institutional capacity to integrate employment, gender equality and decent work into climate policies. The first initiative connected countries from Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the South with partners from the United Kingdom, China, Brazil, the Arab States and the Santiago Network, creating a broad platform that enhanced knowledge on renewable energy, green jobs and gender-responsive transition strategies in the lead-up to COP29 and COP30. The second initiative brought Western Balkan economies together with EU institutions to elevate the employment dimension of just transition debates, using peer-to-peer working groups, diagnostics and sectoral pilots such as E-waste value chain mapping to reinforce the role of labour ministries, employers’ and workers’ organizations in NDC processes. Together, both initiatives demonstrated how South-South and triangular cooperation enabled countries to build evidence, exchange practical solutions and strengthen institutions so that climate action, labour market policies and social justice could advance in a more coherent and inclusive manner.