Just Energy Transition: From Discourse to Implementation – Selection of Articles for March 2025.

How do we fulfill the promises surrounding a Just Energy Transition? It is essential to go beyond the various existing frameworks - some of which can be conflicting - and to recognize the political dimensions attached to the just transition. As part of an ecosystem of practitioners, we also need to learn from existing projects, guide meaningful change, suspend our judgments, recognize all forms of expertise, and enhance local capacities.

This selection of articles from around the world is based on these principles. They cover topics ranging from electric vehicle adoption to promoting public participation and expanding local economic opportunities, highlighting both creative solutions and the challenges associated with realizing a just transition.

“Just transition in framework climate laws: between meaningful governance and performative law” via Vilja Johansson (original Linkedin Post and article)

Examining examples from Europe, this article explores how just transition legislations are implemented through various governance mechanisms, and how they can contribute to effective just transition governance. At the same time, it explores how implementation gaps may remain especially since “in cases of bad faith or lack of capacity, the abstract and aspirational nature of the legal requirements, combined with the lack of robust accountability, can also transform the mechanisms into performative law that promises justice without necessarily delivering”

Justice in Transition. Empowering citizens for a fair green economy. Final report of the JUSTEM project via Diana Süsser, DrDiana Süsser, Dr (Original Linkedin Post with report)

The JUSTEM project aims to reduce local energy poverty by involving the community in the transition to a greener future. The final report offers valuable lessons learned and recommendations for regions undergoing coal phaseout.

The JUST Stories Database, Institute for Human Rights and Business (original Linkedin Post and database)

IHRB has made public an extensive database of 50 initiatives across the globe to “bring together examples of different approaches being trialed to inspire a groundswell of just transition learnings”.

Building local agency for a just energy transition in La Guajira, Katherine Bain for Governance Action Hub (article)

The Governance Action Hub is sharing insights from their strategic efforts to utilize the new energy communities framework to foster improved local development, build trust, and create more resilient communities through a pilot program. In this blog post, they are also providing training materials and resources developed in collaboration with the community to enhance local capacity.

Bridging the Energy Transition: Energy Communities and Combating Energy Poverty, Democratic Society (original Linkedin Post and article)

This article presents a practical perspective on energy communities and their role in reducing local poverty. It also makes a strong case for using a systems-thinking approach to implement energy community projects, emphasizing the importance of municipal leadership.

Challenges and opportunities for the zero-emission vehicle transition in rural regions, the ZEV Alliance via Dale Hall (Original Linkedin Post)

This thought-provoking paper presents surprising findings regarding the potential gap in Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) adoption between rural and urban areas, using examples from Germany and New York State. It also offers strategies to encourage greater BEV adoption in rural regions.

How the Clean School Bus Program is Driving a Manufacturing Boom and Delivering Jobs, The Electric School Bus Initiative via Clean Energy Works (original Linkedin Post and article)

The Clean School Bus Program (CSBP) has awarded $3 billion of its $5 billion budget to 1,200 school districts across 48 states for the replacement of diesel-burning school buses with electric ones. This article highlights the program's impact on local industry growth, noting that 21 manufacturing facilities in 13 states are involved in the production of electric buses.

How communities, officials, and developers can work together on renewable energy development, via the Initiative for Energy Justice (Original Linkedin Post)

This High Country News Article provides a clear example of how Community Benefit Agreements (CBA) can promote collaboration among communities, officials, and developers to create sustainable projects. High Country News Article

Solar Power Doubled Mango Production, and farmers incomes, in chamwino Tanzania, WRI ?(article)

This article shares the success story of a farming cooperative in Tanzania and how solar energy has contributed to local economic development. It also highlights the ongoing challenges that need to be considered by anyone looking to achieve similar results when linking energy with productive projects.

Reimagining Business Ownership in the Global South, Standford Social Innovation Review (article)

One of the tenets of a just energy transition is community ownership of energy-related businesses. This article provides valuable lessons from the deployment of Alternative Ownership Enterprise (AOE) models in the agri-food sectors.

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