Life After Coal | Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle

What is the Just Transition?

 The International Trade Union Confederation defines a “Just Transition” as follows:

“A Just Transition secures the future and livelihoods of workers and their communities in the transition to a low-carbon economy. It is based on social dialogue between workers and their unions, employers, government and communities. A plan for Just Transition provides and guarantees better and decent jobs, social protection, more training opportunities and greater job security for all workers affected by global warming and climate change policies.”

Life After Coal partner and environmental justice group groundWork set out the following key components to a Just Transition in its 2017 report The Destruction of the Highveld: Burning Coal:

“[A] just transition… needs to re-envision our economy and our society through a widespread, grassroots-based debate. We suggest that some starting points can be identified in a more equal and ecologically sustainable economy, based on people’s solidarity that serves people’s needs, not profit, such a:

• a new energy system based on socially owned renewables;
• new jobs in renewables;
• large scale restoration and detoxification of ecosystems injured by the fossil fuel economy on the Highveld;
• a new and healthier food economy;
• healthier and climate wise housing;
• a new and healthier transport economy;
• a reorientation and expansion of municipal services;
• a basic income grant for all.“

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Just Transition in South Africa

Climate Change and the Just Transition from Coal: An illustrated booklet in 4 languages produced by the Society, Work & Politics Institute (SWOP) at the University of the Witwatersrand. This booklet provides background and explanations about the need for a Just Transition from fossil fuels, based on the urgency of climate change. It is in response to requests made in knowledge exchange workshops between communities on the Mpumalanga Highveld and the SWOP coal research project in 2019. Its aim is to empower communities to participate in debates about the Just Transition from fossil fuels. It will be presented for use by activists and communities in coal-affected communities, and revised in the light of comments from those who have used it.

Presentation by Prof Mark Swilling in May 2019 entitled: “Unlocking a just energy transition for South Africa”

Research and reports

• Climate Strategies (2020) Incorporating just transition strategies in developing country Nationally Determined Contributions
• groundWork (2019) Down to Zero: The Politics of Just Transition
• Climate Transparency (2019) Socio-economic considerations for a Paris Agreement-compatible coal transition in South Africa
• Climate Policy Initiative (2019) “Understanding the impact of a low carbon transition on South Africa“
• Tobias Bischof-Niemz and Terence Creamer  (2018). “South Africa’s Energy Transition: A Roadmap to a Decarbonised, Low-cost and Job-rich Future” in “Just transition”. Routledge Focus
• Climate Transparency. (2019). “Socio-economic considerations for a Paris Agreement-compatible coal transition in South Africa“
• Coal Transitions:
  • (2017). “Lessons from previous”coal transitions“
  • (2018). “Implementing coal transitions: insights from case studies of major coal consuming economies“
• Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS):
  • (2018). “Green jobs: Unlocking green jobs in South Africa – A catalytic intervention: Synthesis report“
  • (2019). “The Implementation of the Sector Jobs Resilience Plans (SJRP) for Sectors Vulnerable to Job Losses as a Result of Climate Change Responses”
• Project 90×2030:
  • (2019). Remaking our Energy Future:Towards a Just Energy Transition (JET) in South Africa
  • (2018). “Just Energy Transition: Community ownership, Jobs and the future of Renewable Energy systems”
  • (2018). “Reflection Paper: Considering renewable energy jobs within a just energy transition in South Africa”
  • (2018). “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”
  • (2018). “Ownership in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REI4P)”
  • (2017). “Ownership and a Just Energy Transition”. South African Catholic Bishops’ Conference Parliamentary Liaison Office & Project 90 by 2030.
• groundWork:
  • (2011). “Position paper on climate and energy justice”
  • (2018). “Coal Kills: Research and Dialogue for a Just Transition”
• Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC):
  • (2016). “One Million Climate Jobs: Moving South Africa forwards on a low-carbon, wage-led, and sustainable path.”
  • (2016). “Where are the jobs? A critique of the government’s socio-economic programme”
• National Planning Commission (NPC):
  • (2018). “Pathways for a Just Transition”
  • (2018). “NPC Economy Series: Energy”
• Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU):
  • “A just transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient economy”.
  • (2018). “COSATU’s position on the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers (REIPP).”
• WWF-SA. (2011). “A discussion of systemic challenges for a just transition towards a low carbon economy”
• WoMin African Gender and Extractives Alliance (2018). “Women building power: Towards climate and energy justice for women in Africa”.
• Carbon Trust & Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). (2017). “Integrating off-grid solutions into South Africa’s electrification programme”
• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). (2017). “South Africa: Is a transition away from coal just around the corner?”
• Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). (2019). “South African Coal Exports Outlook -Approaching Long-Term Decline”

Just Transition in the media

• National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA). (12 October 2012). “Motivations for a socially-owned renewable energy sector.”
• Jarredine Morris. (29 August 2017). “A “just” transition to a lower-carbon economy.” Engineering News
• Richard Halsey (14 March 2018) “Eleventh-hour objection to renewables indicate urgent need for a just energy transition plan.” Daily Maverick
• Irvin Jim (5 May 2017). “Numsa demands a socially owned energy renewables programme.” Daily Maverick
• Tasneem Essop (8 August 2017). “A just transition to a renewable energy future in South Africa”. World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa
• Anton Eberhard and Amory Lovins. (15 February 2018). “South Africa’s electricity choice (Part 3): Decentralised power generation is the pathway to “energy democracy”. Daily Maverick
• Richard Halsey. (14 March 2018) “Eleventh-hour objection to renewables indicate urgent need for a just energy transition plan.” Daily Maverick
• Tobias Bischof-Niemz (12 February 2019). “Opinion: Are there really more jobs in coal than in renewables?” Engineering News
• Mark Swilling. (May 2019). “Presentation on Unlocking a just energy transition for South Africa.” EE Publishers
• Terence Creamer. (3 July 2019). “Initial ‘just energy transition’ work points to need to cushion coal regions.” Engineering News
• Patrick Cairns. (2 October 2019). “An orderly transition, or a disorderly retreat?” Moneyweb
• Kevin Bloom. (2 October 2019). “Ramaphosa’s $11bn climate fund, or, how the smart money could turn Mpumalanga into the envy of the world.” Daily Maverick
• Mark Swilling. (4 October 2019). “Wake up, Everyone: ANC NEC’s energy statement is a real New Dawn for South Africa.” Daily Maverick

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Just Transitions around the world

Research and reports:

• International Labour Organization (ILO). (2015). “Guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all.”
• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD):
  • (2017). “Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform and the Just Transition: Integrating approaches for complementary outcomes”
  • (2018). “Real People, Real Change Strategies for  just energy transitions”
• United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD). (2018). “Mapping Just Transition(s) to a Low-Carbon World”
• Peter Newell and Dustin Mulvaney. (2013). “The political economy of the “just transition”. The Geographic Journal, 197(2): 132–140
• Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). (2017). “Just transition and energy democracy: A civil service trade union perspective”
• Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). (2017). “Justice in the transition to a low carbon economy”
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2018). “Community energy: Broadening the ownership of renewables.”
• James Angel. (2016). “Strategies of energy democracy.” Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung
• Climate Transparency. (2018). “Brown to Green: The G20 transition to a low-carbon economy”
• ClientEarth. (2014). “Community power: Model legal frameworks for citizen-owned renewable energy”
• Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED):
  • Working Papers
  • Bulletin Archive
• New Climate Institute. (2019). “Transition towards a Decarbonised Electricity Sector – A Framework of Analysis for Power System Transformation“

Important websites:

• Climate Transparency: An international partnership of 14 research organisations and NGOs comparing G20 climate actions
• Coal Transitions: An international research platform which aims to develop credible and feasible trajectories and policy guidance for deep transitions in the coal sector in major coal using countries:
• International Trade Union Confederation’s Just Transition Centre
• E3G Just Transition Portal
• Just Transition Info
• Trade Unions for Energy Democracy

Case studies:

• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). (2018). “In Search of Just Transition: Examples From Around the World”
• World Resources Institute. (2019). “Planning for a “Just Transition”: Leaving No Worker Behind in Shifting to a Low Carbon Future”

United Kingdom

• Haley Ott. (29 March 2019). “The UK has a Green New Deal too.” CBS News
• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). (2017). “The End of Coal Mining in South Wales: Lessons learned from industrial transformation”

Australia

• Tony Maher. (2018). “A New Approach in Australia to Just Transition”
• Fergus Green. (2019). “Australia: caught between a ‘just transition’ and ‘no transition’”
• Environmental Victoria:
  • (2017). “Life after coal: Pathways to a just and sustainable transition for the Latrobe Valley”
  • (2019). “A Just Transition for the Latrobe Valley”

Columbia

• Climate Policy. (2018). “Prospects for steam coal exporters in the era of climate policies: a case study of Colombia”

Spain

• Arthur Neslen. (26 October 2018). “Spain to close most coalmines in €250m transition deal.” The Guardian
• Greenpeace Spain. (2016). “Beyond Coal: Sustainable alternatives for the future of coalfield regions case study: alternative development for Teruel Coalfield Region”

Germany

• Just Transition. (2018). “Just Transition is possible! The case of Ruhr (Germany)”
• Clean Energy Wire. (18 Jun 2018). “Germany’s coal commission “a model for a just transition”
• Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G). (2016). “Instruments for a managed coal phase-out: German and international experiences with structural change”
• Agora Energiewende. (2016). “Eleven Principles for a Consensus on Coal: Concept for a stepwise decarbonisation of the German power sector”
• Stanley Foundation. (2018). “Life beyond coal”

Poland

• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). (2018). “The Transformation of the Polish Coal Sector”

United States

• Stockholm Environment Institute. (2019). “Realizing a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels”
• Green Party US. (2019). “Green New Deal”
• Colorado Bill. (2019). Just Transition From Coal-based Electrical Energy Economy