Podcast – Just Transition Initiative

What is "Just Transition"?

Podcast/Guidelines, Strategies and Recommendations

Nov 2021

Just Transitions: Focusing on South Africa and India

This podcast explores CoP26 agenda and key priorities for a just transition away from coal in two coal dependent emerging economies: India and South Africa.

Geographic Scope
Sectors: Energy; General; Mining
By: Sandeep Pai, Chandra Bhushan, Jesse Burton
Publishing Organization: Climate Investment Funds (CIF), Center for Strategic and International Studies
Academic/research institution or journal, Development finance institution
Summary: Chandra Bhushan with iFOREST and Jesse Burton with the University of Cape Town join Sandeep Pai (CSIS) to look at how key themes of just transitions are important in the context of CoP26 meetings. They then discuss the key priorities on the ground for a just transition away from coal in the major economies of South Africa and India.

Podcast/Guidelines, Strategies and Recommendations

Nov 2021

Just Transitions: Economic Diversification for Coal Dependent regions

This podcast looks at various opportunities and challenges for coal dependent regions in India and South Africa to create just and sustainable pathways to diversify their economies.

Geographic Scope
Sectors: Energy; Mining
Focus Areas: Economic diversification/restructuring > Economic development plans, Infrastructure investment; Employment > (Re)Training and/or educational programs, Skills; Environment and/or pollution > Human health; Government intervention > Public finance, Regulation
By: Sandeep Pai, Gaylor Montmasson-Clair, Srestha Banerjee
Publishing Organization: Climate Investment Funds (CIF), Center for Strategic and International Studies
Academic/research institution or journal, Development finance institution
Summary: Gaylor Montmasson-Clair with Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) and Srestha Banerjee with iForest join Sandeep Pai (CSIS) to explore the opportunities and challenges for coal dependent regions in India and South Africa to create just and sustainable pathways to diversify their economies.

Podcast/Guidelines, Strategies and Recommendations

Jun 2021

Just Transitions: A Just Green Recovery from Covid-19

This podcast explores how governments can promote economic spending packages that promote an inclusive and fair green recovery.

Geographic Scope
Sectors: General
Focus Areas: COVID-19; Government intervention > Public finance
By: Ben Cahill, Brian O’Callaghan, Jesse Burton
Publishing Organization: Climate Investment Funds (CIF), Center for Strategic and International Studies
Academic/research institution or journal, Development finance institution
Summary: Ben Cahill (CSIS) is joined by Brian O’Callaghan and Jesse Burton to discuss how Covid-19 recovery can be more just, equitable and green. Brian is Lead Researcher and Project Manager of the Oxford University Economic Recovery Project, and Jesse is with the University of Cape Town and a Senior Associate with E3G, where she provides analysis and policy advice on coal transitions in South Africa and globally. Together, they look at how governments can ensure that their economic spending packages can accelerate a green recovery while also being inclusive and fair for all communities.

Podcast/Guidelines, Strategies and Recommendations

Mar 2021

Just Transitions: India’s Path Forward

This podcast discusses the importance of a just transition in the context of climate change policies and investments and explores the impact of Covid-19 on just transitions.

Geographic Scope
Sectors: Energy
Focus Areas: Employment; Government intervention > Other, Regulation
By: Neha Sharma, Ajay Mathur, Srestha Banerjee, Mike Ward
Publishing Organization: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Academic/research institution or journal, Development finance institution
Summary: As the energy transition in India accelerates, how do decisionmakers ensure that the transition is a just and equitable transition? Neha Sharma, Ajay Mathur, Srestha Banerjee, and Mike Ward look at the underlying drivers of India’s energy transitions, and key considerations for creating a just transition, including the need for fairness and equity, geographic disparities, lack of social mobility, labor policy, and energy access.

Podcast/Case Study; Guidelines, Strategies and Recommendations

Sep 2020

Just Transitions: Local Lessons and Global Insights from South Africa

This Energy 360 podcast on just transitions in South Africa provides local lessons and broader global insights from a country that has a long history of engaging with just transitions in the context of high levels of unemployment, inequality, poverty, and a high dependency on coal.

Geographic Scope
Sectors: Energy; Mining; Water
Focus Areas: Economic diversification/restructuring > Economic development plans; Employment > Job creation and/or equality, Skills; Government intervention > Public finance, Regulation; Inequality and/or poverty > Other; Investment > Private finance; Justice; Social and/or cultural impacts > Non-financial loss
Keywords: multilateral development banks; unemployment; coal sector
By: Michael Ward, Neha Sharma, Brenda Martin
Publishing Organization: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Academic/research institution or journal, Development finance institution
Summary: This podcast provides an easily accessible overview of the implications of just transitions in South Africa’s energy transition. The interview format allows a range of issues to be covered drawing on many years of experience within the energy sector, as well as a recent case study on just transitions in South Africa.

Topics covered include the importance of just transitions in a country that has some of the highest levels of inequality, unemployment, and poverty in the world. South Africa is also dependent on coal for the vast majority of its energy, particularly electricity, despite a substantial renewable energy procurement program. It is in this context that issues of sustainable development, social dialogue, financing a just transition, social transformation, geographic disparities, and skills development are discussed.

Podcast/Definitions and Concepts; Guidelines, Strategies and Recommendations

Sep 2020

Just Transitions: Assessing Gender Dimensions

This podcast discusses the gender dimensions of just transitions and offers recommendations for policy planning and implementation.

Geographic Scope
Sectors: General
Focus Areas: Employment > Other; Inequality and/or poverty > Gender inequality, Other; Social and/or cultural impacts > Non-financial loss
Keywords: political economy; distributional impacts; gender responsive approach; land rights; social inclusion; care work; covid-19
By: Sarah Ladislaw, May Thazin Aung, Adrienne Cruz
Publishing Organization: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Academic/research institution or journal, Development finance institution
Summary: This podcast focuses on the gender and social dimensions of just transitions. Adrienne Cruz with the International Labor Organization and May Thazin Aung with the Stockholm Environment Institute join Sarah Ladislaw from CSIS’s Energy Security and Climate Change Program to explore gender dimensions and strategies to support gender equitable outcomes and processes.

They discuss lessons from past experiences, as well as the need for gender responsive policies that address women’s unique challenges and needs and that promote their involvement in decision-making processes.

Podcast/Definitions and Concepts; Guidelines, Strategies and Recommendations

May 2020

Just Transitions: An Introduction

This podcast discusses the importance of a just transition in the context of climate change policies and investments and explores the impact of Covid-19 on just transitions.

Geographic Scope
Sectors: General
Focus Areas: Inequality and/or poverty > Other; Investment > ESG and corporate engagement, Private finance
Keywords: social inclusion; climate-related disclosure; responsible investing; covid-19; green recovery
By: Sarah Ladislaw, Mafalda Duarte, Nick Robins
Publishing Organization: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Academic/research institution or journal, Development finance institution
Summary: This podcast provides an accessible introduction to concept and importance of a just transition in the context of climate change policies and investments. Mafalda Duarte, head of the Climate Investment Funds, and Nick Robins, Professor in Sustainable Finance with the Grantham Institute, join Sarah Ladislaw with the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program to explain the meaning and importance of a just transition in the context of their work. They move on to discuss how investors can support just transitions and close by examining the potential impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the just transition agenda.