Social Foundations of a Just Coal Transition

Tackling poverty and inequality means bringing an end to the fossil fuel era, beginning with no new coal, and supporting renewable energy for all. This short paper highlights the impact of coal and climate change on communities worldwide; how renewable energy is transforming lives and driving inclusive development; why limiting warming means no space for new coal; and the implications for Australia's climate and energy policies.

SWOP Working Paper 12, 2019

This report celebrates a civil society led turn against coal, by proposing a new analytical framework for understanding coal struggles that incorporates both nature and society. It supports activists, students and policy makers to ask much broader than usual questions about coal. It points to knowledge resources that can be useful in a just transition: environmental justice, political ecology, participatory action research, social movement theory and discourse analysis, as well as a re-interpretation of mainstream approaches in terms of law, natural science, energy planning and transition studies. The report places the new approach in the context of the South African Minerals Energy Complex and critiques the currently dominant coal discourse in the South Africa Chamber of Mines' latest (2018) coal strategy.

Development Southern Africa, 2019

Coal mining and burning are among the most destructive activities on the planet, and a major driver of environmental inequality in South Africa. This article suggests that, despite heavy constraints, initiatives involving resistance to coal are building a 'counterpower' which challenges inequality, generates solidarity, and is potentially infused by imaginative visions of another world beyond coal. Following the 'social power' approach this vision could, with deeper connections between three sites of resistance to coalorganised labour, mining affected communities and environmental justice organisationscohere into a vision of a 'just transition'. This could embed the anti-coal struggle in a social movement for an alternative development path to challenge deepening poverty and inequality.

Springer climate, 2024

This chapter introduces an interdisciplinary perspective to investigate the transition process and to identify empirical evidence of social-ecological tipping points (SETPs) in the case studies on coal and carbon intensive regions (CCIRs) analyzed in the project TIPPING+. The interdisciplinary lens considers different modes of thought, frameworks, and multiple perspectives and interests from diverse stakeholders, a systems' understanding, and different culture considerations across the CCIRs. Within this interdisciplinary process, we applied various lenses to study the potential for SETPs by combining insights from human geography, social psychology, regional socio-technical systems, and political economy perspectives on the phases of low carbon transitions and on the justice component of the transitions. Subsequently, this chapter gives an overview of how the eight CCIRs case studies in this book have applied various interdisciplinary lenses to investigate the regional transition and the emergence of SETPs.

Ordu Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2023

This article presents a discussion of the social consequences of coal phase-out policies determined in the context of addressing climate change and the possibility of a just transition in coal-dependent settlements. Energy production methods are changing all over the world to tackle climate change. This situation will inevitably be reflected in Türkiye as well. In this regard, the main purpose of the research is to examine and introduce the just transition, which is a prominent and contemporary approach to possible coal phase-out experiences in settlements that are economically and socially dependent on coal. An overview of climate change and carbonintensive sectors, coal mining's role in energy production, and coal phase-out policy objectives is presented in the first part of the article. Then, presented in the following is general information about the role of coal in energy production in Türkiye, as well as settlements that are economically and socially dependent on coal. After providing an overview of the just transition approach and its objectives, suggestions are made for Türkiye in the conclusion. Several measures can be taken to minimize the negative effects on groups involved in coal-dependent settlements and vulnerable groups as a result of possible transformation.

The Extractive Industries and Society, 2023

Coal has long been one of the fossil fuels underpinning the energy systems of many countries around the world. Because of its long-standing history, many actors have an interest in retaining the status quo. In this article, we explore the complexities of a coal phase-out in different countries. Drawing on empirical material from Germany, India, Mexico, Serbia and South Africa, we look at the way coal is represented in public debate. We do so by analysing the respective political arguments of key actors about coal phase-out in the chosen countries and analyse their inherent justice claims. Our research illustrates how state institutions, fossil fuel companies and other actors have contributed to framing coal as a formative factor of social relations and as an asset for development. Further, we find that there is considerable overlap of justice claims between global North and global South countries, even though actors from global South countries also invoke global inequalities and historical climate debt. Based on our results, we argue that policymakers must (a) critically interrogate justice claims and (b) consider injustices created by the status quo to ensure a Just Transition.

Open access government, 2024

In the global effort to create a fair and sustainable future, it's imperative to help regions that depend on coal switch to cleaner energy sources. The SITRANS (Governance and Social Impact of Coal Regions under Transition) project financed by the EU looks at how local governments can be supported to make this transition fair for everyone. We're focusing on places where coal is a big deal and trying to explain the shift clearly and easily. University of Western Macedonia, Greece, is the leader of this project, and related organisations from Poland, Bulgaria, and Italy are the main partners. Coal-dependent areas have been essential for making energy, powering communities, and driving economic activities for a long time. But because of the environmental problems linked to coal, we need to move towards cleaner energy sources. This change

SEI Briefs, 2019

Key messages • Governments are introducing new “just transitions” policies to help workers and communities move away from fossil fuels. • Most policies assume that justice goals will be achieved by helping those dependent on coal, oil and gas move into new roles; however, there is little critical reflection on what justice means in the context of an energy transition away from fossil fuels. • There are a number of gaps in current just transition policies when viewed through a justice lens. For example, no policies contain measures to improve the lives of people currently marginalized in the energy system. • Creating just and equitable transition policies requires collecting data on the current distribution of the harms and benefits of the energy system, and mapping out how this will change as fossil fuels become a less-prominent part of the energy mix. • By taking justice considerations into account, transition policies are more likely to limit social and political resistance, win a broad consensus, and achieve effective implementation.

Structural human ecology, ecological modernization theory, and international political economy perspectives are engaged to assess the extent to which coal consumption is influenced by various demographic factors, socioeconomic characteristics, and international relationships. Results of panel analyses for a sample of 66 countries from 1990 to 2005 indicate that both total population size and economic development increase levels of coal consumption. Additional findings suggest that export-oriented manufacturing increases coal consumption in developing nations but not in developed nations. The authors conclude by reflecting on the theoretical implications of the study and the policy relevance of the results for dealing with the human causes and consequences of climate change.

2019

R Coal has been integral to South Africa's energy system and economy for decades, but is increasingly uncompetitive and creates considerable risks-economic, social, and environmental-for the country. R A Paris-compatible mitigation pathway will mean the phase out of coal in the power and liquid fuels sectors by 2040 R Given the high levels of poverty and unemployment in South Africa, energy and climate policy needs to contribute to a development pathway that addresses these socioeconomic challenges R A just transition is required so that coal dependent regions and workers are not stranded by the energy transition or by climate change policy R A just transition also addresses the development challenges facing the country R Transition planning needs to consider worker transition schemes, local economic resilience and the development of new sectors R We outline proposed interventions that could form a just transition package for South Africa

2020

Recent studies have shown that there are a number of flaws in current coal transition policies when viewed through a justice lens. The aim of the current research is to present how the social dimensions are integrated into the EU energy policy coal phasing out in the light of the theoretical framework of energy justice and its three pillars: distributional, procedural and recognition justice. Interviews with five central actors reveal how social fairness, inclusion and successfulness in coal transition process is perceived. Firstly, it appears that social fairness and inclusion-through the energy justice lenshave a pivotal role in the successfulness of coal transition process. Secondly, the interviews reveal that new concepts such as empathy and perceptiveness emerge into the concept of justice in the coal phasing out as an integral part of coal transition processes. Thirdly, it seems that policy makersincluding EUhave considered and included justice accommodating measures in their programs aimed at assisting coal transition processes. In terms of further research it seems highly relevant further empirical research to be carried out with the aim of assessing how the three pillars of energy justice have been practically integrated when the coal transition process is accomplished in the all EU member states.

Energy Policy, 2018

The implications of place attachment and loss in generational coal mining communities are currently underexamined in energy transition discourse in Australia. By examining public submissions regarding a coal mining development in Lithgow, New South Wales, this paper identifies a relationship between coal mining and generational identity in this community. Acknowledging this relationship adds a useful perspective to energy transition discourse by highlighting the way in which hidden dimensions of loss can act to reinforce local support of extractive industry. We combine recent scholarship on the emotionality of the minescape (Ey & Sherval, 2016; Ey et al., 2017) with work on the ways in which place attachment can translate to feelings of loss in response to material change (Adger et al., 2013; Barnett et al., 2016; Tschakert et al., 2017) to suggest that factors of time and place can make community-level actors within the energy landscape either receptive, or resistant, to change. Applying this understanding to decarbonisation strategies can inform a more effective, and more just, energy transition in Australia.

One Earth

CPR Policy Brief, 2023

Entrenched gender biases and injustices in the coal political economy cannot be wished away with the ongoing shift from coal to renewable energy. Rather, the energy transition must seek to unwind these entrenched patterns in the 20th century energy system while creating an equal role for and participation of women in the 21st century energy system. To do so, just transition planning must proactively engage with gender questions in coal communities and envision a gender-transformative pathway to the transition in India’s coal states. Analysing the forms of exclusions faced by women in coal economies, this brief argues that women face four structural barriers – entry barrier, distribution barrier, wage barrier and representation barrier – that are consequential for their social and economic status and agency. The combined effects of these barriers, the masculine nature of the coal industry and existing social norms marginalise women in India’s coal communities and confines them to three observed patterns of engagement: 1) social reproductive labour, 2) informal casual labour and coal scavenging, and 3) formal but menial labour in coal mines. The ongoing shifts in our energy foundations offer an opportunity to unwind the gender inequities and injustices of the coal economy and envision a gender equal energy future. In this direction, the brief suggests four immediate steps to engage with the gender question as part of just transition planning. Recognise women labour force in the coal economy through an intersectionality-informed analytical and assessment framework. Ensure women’s representation in just transition planning at different tiers of governance and decision making. Promote gender inclusive economic diversification in coal regions, with particular attention to women- centric and women-led economic opportunities. Treat women as change agents in the energy transition harnessing their potential role in smoothening the disruptions of the transition.

Nature Climate Change, 2020