EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF THE IGBO APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM AND THE PRINCIPLES OF CLIMATE JUSTICE AND JUST ENERGY TRANSITION: PATHWAYS TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

This study examines the intersection of climate justice and just energy transition principles within the Igbo Apprenticeship System (IAS), a culturally embedded vocational training model in Southeastern Nigeria. Employing a mixed-methods approach, combining exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling, the research identifies and validates justice dimensions within the IAS framework. The findings reveal significant correlations between IAS principles and distributive (β=0.64), procedural (β=0.52), and restorative (β=0.47) justice, underscoring its potential to promote equitable climate action and sustainable transitions. The IAS is positioned as a decolonized model for global sustainability frameworks, emphasizing financial empowerment, knowledge transfer, and community accountability. The proposed Igbo Sustainable Enterprise Ecosystem (ISEE) model integrates climate justice and just energy transition principles into IAS practices, prioritizing green entrepreneurship and intergenerational wealth redistribution. This research contributes to the decolonization of sustainability narratives, providing actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to balance equity and environmental stewardship in sustainability transitions, and advocating for the integration of IAS-inspired frameworks into national and global sustainability agendas