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Just Transition for All

2017
A 2017 Presentation by Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, which took place at ACW All Team Meeting at York University, Toronto in November 2017. It summarizes the numbers of jobs in the fossil fuel industry by province and in the top-10 most fossil fuel dependent communities in Canada. It discusses the concept of “reactive” and “proactive” Just Transition. This presentation is more fully developed in the subsequent report "Making Decarbonization Work for Workers: Policies for a just transition to a zero-carbon economy" (https://yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/xmlui/handle/10315/39435). [Originally posted at https://yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/xmlui/handle/10315/39302]
A 2017 thesis which examines the barriers to realizing community choice aggregation. [Originally posted at https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/111393/1003291792-MIT.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y]
A 2017 report which argues that the time has come to address the controversial realities that as a global community we are currently facing: climate change and global warming. [Originally posted at https://yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/xmlui/handle/10315/39294]
A 2017 paper which offers lessons, insights and cautionary warnings from the experience of renewal initiatives in Europe’s old industrial regions and illustrates the ways in which some of the seeds for a ‘just’ regional transitions to zero-carbon economies may, in fact, lie in a careful understanding of the potential to build on the specific historical context of the regions industrial development and capabilities. [Originally posted at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lars-Coenen/publication/321069498_Transitioning_beyond_coal_Lessons_from_the_structural_renewal_of_Europe's_old_industrial_regions/links/5a0baaf5a6fdccc69eda46a0/Transitioning-beyond-coal-Lessons-from-the-structural-renewal-of-Europes-old-industrial-regions.pdf]
A 2017 booklet which is a follow-up, six years later, to the first booklet that was produced in 2011. It is based on well-researched solutions for how South Africa can immediately begin a 'just transition', away from the Minerals-Energy Complex that continues to dominate the South African capitalist economy, to a low carbon economy in which the basic needs of communities are met in an equitable, sustainable and affordable way. [Originally posted at https://lifeaftercoal.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/OMCJ-booklet-AIDC-FINAL-4-Oct17.pdf]
A 2017 pamphlet which makes the case for a 'just transition' and energy democracy from the perspective of a civil service trade union, based on public ownership and democratic control of energy that provides an opportunity to re-vision and rebuild our public services for people not profit. [Originally posted at https://www.pcs.org.uk/sites/default/files/site_assets/resources/green_workplaces/2017/Just%20Transition%20&%20Energy%20Democracy%20-%20a%20civil%20service%20trade%20union%20perspective.pdf]
A 2017 report which considers how a justice approach could inform sustainability leaders in policy-making and business circles. [Originally posted at https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/resources/publication-pdfs/justice-in-the-transition-to-a-low-carbon-economy.pdf]
A 2017 issue brief which explores the lessons from two public banks, one in Costa Rica and the other in Germany that are developing new and innovative ways of financing a green transformation. [Originally posted at https://www.tni.org/en/publication/how-public-banks-can-help-finance-a-green-and-just-energy-transformation]
A 2017 study which argues that Australia’s political and economic institutions help to explain the autonomous decision of Engie to close the plant, the short notice period, and the lack of pre-closure government transition policy. [Originally posted at https://ccep.crawford.anu.edu.au/files/uploads/ccep_crawford_anu_edu_au/2017-11/wiseman_campbell_green_prospects_for_a_just_transition_away_from_coal-fired_power_generation_in_australia_ccep_wp1708.pdf]
A 2017 document which aims to provide insight into the contributions the ILO is making towards climate change action, targeting the GCF stakeholders, including National Designated Authorities (NDAs), GCF Board Members, Accredited Entities and Project Managers, as well as the GCF Secretariat. It informs how ILO programmes address climate change from an employment perspective. [Originally posted at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/documents/publication/wcms_561036.pdf]
A 2017 article which argues that state level climate actions must consider the economic consequences of climate policy. [Originally posted at https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/elr/vol29/iss2/4/]
A 2017 study which provides an overview of different 'just transition', energy transformation and climate justice discourses, presents a set of just energy transition principles and applies them to evaluate climate policies of 12 Global South countries. [Originally posted at https://www.brot-fuer-die-welt.de/fileadmin/mediapool/blogs/Fuenfgelt_Joachim/just_energy_transition_in_global_south_final.pdf]
A 2017 briefing paper which focuses on the notion of ownership in relation to energy, from a South African perspective; and in the context of a changing energy landscape. [Originally posted at http://www.cplo.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/BP-444-Ownership-and-a-Just-Energy-Transition-Nov-2017.pdf]
A 2017 study which deals with sustainable energy sector transformation in South Africa. The report aims to give a high level overview of some of the key aspects that should allow the country to take progressive steps towards an improved energy sector that respects human rights and planetary boundaries. The study examines the status quo of the current energy system. [Originally posted at https://www.tips.org.za/just-transition/item/4060-energy-sector-transformation-in-south-africa-a-civil-society-view-on-sustainable-and-equitable-transition-to-a-low-carbon-and-environmentally-conscious-energy-future-in-south-africa]
A 2017 report which presents the outline of the thematic programme on inclusive and just energy transition under the Green Livelihoods Alliance programme (2017-2020). [Originally posted at https://aidstream.org/files/documents/A12_Just_Energy_Transition_Inception_Report-20170724040713.pdf]
A 2017 thesis which examines the Government of British Columbia’s 'Supports for Interior Forestry Workers’ programs in response to the 2019 forest sector downturn and describes lessons about how impacted workers and community members evaluate transition management based on their perceptions and values. This work also offers principles and practices for delivering 'just transition' policy and program supports. It suggests that the government of British Columbia must adjust existing supports and proactively develop policy measures to manage and mitigate the negative consequences of future transitions in collaboration with other key actors. [Originally posted at https://dam-oclc.bac-lac.gc.ca/download?is_thesis=1&oclc_number=1287015047&id=8d83b527-5111-460c-a7b6-657ce9f4e245&fileName=file.pdf]

Hot Reports

Covid-19 and a Just Transition in India's Coal Mining Sector The COVID 19 pandemic hit India hard in early 2020, with negative GDP growth and a surge in unemployment. In the energy sector, coal fired power generation was already under pressure from overcapacity, low electricity demand growth, and increasingly competitive renewables.
Considerations for a Just and Equitable Energy Transition As the energy transition accelerates, it is our responsibility, it is our opportunity, to ensure that in addition to contributing to a healthy planet by replacing fossil fuels with clean energy sources, this is accomplished in a just and equitable manner providing prosperity for all.

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