Climate Change and Transition should be about people and none should be left behind
Climate Change and Transition should be about people. A just transition cannot be achieved if the majority affected by climate change and are likely to be affected by the energy transition as a mitigation measure are not heard on the negotiation table.
There exists what is now implicitly considered two narratives or paradigms to address the catastrophic impacts of climate change. One paradigm is pushing for a faster move away from fossil-based fuels and the other vouching for a gradual and well-balanced process which enables, particularly the developing countries (including those from Africa), to address the climate impacts grounded in their realities and development imperatives.
According to the United Nations, World Bank, World Economic Forum and International Energy Agency, the impact of climate change and drive to energy transition from fossil fuels to clean energy is happening faster than earlier predicted. While some projections indicate that the world will have transited by 2050 others have estimated that this could happen as early as 2030, barely a few years from now. The pace at which the world is shifting is heavily unfair for less developed countries and its repercussions could have significant detrimental effects of millions of depend on the natural climate and fossil based energy sources for livelihoods.
A Just Transition means ensuring inclusive, efficient and coherent climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and regulations that limit disruptions in development, livelihoods, labour market disruptions and job losses and support for the affected and impacted by the transition. The Africa Development Bank suggests that a just transition aims or should aim to achieve two goals: a low carbon climate resilient economy and leaving no one behind.
Through interviews, case studies, and original data analysis, a framework for just transition policy development is presented built on four pillars: strong governmental support, dedicated funding streams, diverse and strong coalitions, and economic diversification.
There are efforts to achieve just transitions in fossil based countries by establishing dedicated funds to the just transition of regions heavily reliant on fossil economies such as coal mining. This fund is part of what is now known as the EU’s Green Deal. This has also been followed by signing Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) between developed and less developed countries . JETPs provide essential financial resources to ensure heavily fossil reliant countries or potential new producer countries transit with less disruption. So far South Africa and Senegal are beneficiaries of JETPs. However the transparency of these JETPs and the extent to which the financing can reach local communities is still debatable.
According to the UNDP, importantly, however, a just transition doesn’t just help advance climate action. It also helps advance progress against all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably those related to affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, and responsible production and consumption.
A large percentage of Tanzania’s population is heavily reliant on biomass as a source of energy. Tanzania has large deposits of coal and natural gas. The government plans to use coal and natural gas as source of energy. Fast switch from fossil based sources to cleaner sources has therefore a potential for causing significant disruptions.
According to the global climate alliance, Just Transition should be a vision-led, unifying and place-based set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy. This means approaching production and consumption cycles holistically and waste-free. The transition itself must be just and equitable; redressing past harms and creating new relationships of power for the future through reparations. If the process of transition is not just, the outcome will never be.
This project addresses the key climate related concerns to just transitions from an Africa context relevant lens with a view of expanding citizen awareness and coordinated efforts to influence national and global discourse to achieve a fair just transitions via;
- Short researches and publication
- Convenings
- National and Global advocacy