just transition header1
Global efforts to mitigate climate change are ramping up, with a rising numbers of countries, companies and financiers taking action to tackle climate change. At the same time, climate changes, such as temperature and weather changes, are increasing, with dramatic impacts on populations. These are having material impacts on the economy and society. In the short term, dealing with this transition has materialised primarily in a focus on the decarbonisation of the energy systems. In the medium to long term, this will extend to virtually all sectors and segments of society.

In this context, the just transition agenda has taken centre stage. It aims to lower the risks faced by the most affected and vulnerable stakeholders, such as working people, small businesses and low-income communities, while providing an opportunity to maximise the development of new opportunities and redress historical injustices.

Establishing a credible fact base is paramount for designing and implementing an evidence-based just transition. To allow easy access to a growing body of work on just transition, TIPS has curated relevant content into an open knowledge portal. This provides short summaries as well as key findings and recommendations from a diversity of reports, strategies, videos and podcasts. The knowledge portal focuses on South Africa but will be extended to other areas in the future.

The portal is a living initiative. Should you know of additional resources which could be added or spot any errors, please contact Lerato Monaisa at lerato@tips.org.za

Featured material

Just transitions and the green economy - navigating the fault lines

SUMMARY: The paper frames the Just Transition from a moral and business perspective. It assesses how much responsibility companies and organisations should have for the impact their clients have on

Read More

National employment vulnerability assessment: analysis of potential climate change-related impacts and vulnerable groups

SUMMARY: The report provides a detailed analysis of the capacity of vulnerable communities, workers and businesses to adjust to climate change-related impacts in the coal, metals, transport-based petroleum, agricultural value

Read More

Down to zero: The politics of Just Transition

SUMMARY: This book looks at the anticipated impact of climate change and the experiences of millions of people who are facing a climate disaster, focusing on Southern and South Africa.

Read More

Unlocking a just energy transition for SA

SUMMARY: Professor Mark Swilling discusses the global renewable energy revolution, the public sector’s role in investment in renewables and how renewable energy has the potential to change social politics and

Read More
  • 1

Social partner dialogue for a Just Transition

  • Institution / Author: National Planning Commission
  • Year: 2019
  • Sectoral focus: Agriculture and fisheries, Coal, Economy-wide, Electricity, Energy, Mining, Water and sanitation
  • Thematic focus: Consensus building
  • Type of analysis: Stakeholder engagement
  • Type of document: Policy / strategy / plan / accord

SUMMARY: Consensus between stakeholders resulted in a common vision to 2050 that places the Just Transition and the transition to a low-carbon future as central. Disagreements arose around ownership of infrastructure and the whether a zero carbon or carbon-neutral goal was appropriate.

KEY FINDING / RECOMMENDATIONS: Three key recommendations are put forward. The first calls for the investigation of vulnerable jobs across sectors and formulating plans to absorb job losses. The second involves negotiating labour and social plans for decommissioning coal-fired power stations. The final recommendation is to implement two Just Transition pilots in Mpumalanga (energy) and Free State (agriculture).

Read 643 times