A just energy transition puts power in the hands of people and communities.
This includes frontline communities, Indigenous Peoples and most of the world. This is a crisis of power and injustice, and solving it means tackling its social, economic and environmental consequences together.
Justice underpins everything we do: every campaign we run, every coalition we build, every demand we make is designed to work for everyone, and leave no one behind. That means listening to the communities getting hit hardest, amplifying silenced voices, and following the leadership of those on the frontlines.
How can we ensure that climate solutions are rooted in justice?
By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and replacing fossil fuels with safer renewable energy sources.
Globally, we need to halve emissions by 2030 to avoid the worst impacts of climate breakdown. Countries have already committed to triple renewables capacity, double energy efficiency and phase out fossil fuels within this timeframe – now they need to walk the talk.
Global renewable power is soaring ahead of fossil fuels, and it is already the most cost effective and efficient way to generate electricity. We need all resources invested in real and meaningful solutions, and that means renewable energy sources. There is no time to waste with unproven, inadequate and unrealistic technologies.
By ensuring everyone can get renewable, affordable, reliable, sustainable and efficient energy
Access to energy is crucial for social and economic development. The climate crisis and the current fossil fuel dependent energy systems deepen inequalities within and between countries. We need to curb excessive and wasteful energy consumption by the rich, and ensure access to affordable and clean energy for all.
Distributed, community-led systems are an important component to widen energy justice, ensuring availability, accessibility and affordability by bringing the power and ownership closer to the local level.
By respecting the wishes and uphold the rights and traditions of communities
Solutions rooted in justice must follow democratic and transparent regulatory processes and protect the rights and wellbeing of communities in the frontline of the climate crisis.
Any energy project will have some negative effects, but we must strive to find minimum-impact solutions and to avoid replicating the extractivist processes of the fossil fuel industry. This also applies to the extraction and production of the raw materials and minerals needed for renewable energy systems – which should meet the highest standards for human-labor and land and environmental preservation.
By creating jobs and revenue for communities and offer more energy access to people in cities and rural areas
Energy should be generated as close as possible to where it will be used to maximize benefits and opportunities, and minimize the impacts for people, communities and the environment.
Solutions should contribute to efficiency and sufficiency, limit the wasteful use of resources, and respect environmental justice values – both in the production as in the disposal processes.
Through addressing financial and historical responsibilities, within and across countries
The impacts of the climate crisis are already everywhere. But they are hitting harder those in the most vulnerable areas or social conditions, who have often contributed the least to worsening this emergency. Internationally, often the most affected countries are also not the biggest greenhouse gasses emitters.
Historically polluting groups and countries should finance the energy transition, support adaptation efforts and pay for the loss and damage which is already happening as a consequence of the climate crisis!
By ensuring a healthy environment and protecting life
The only realistic pathway to safeguard a liveable planet is to phase out fossil fuels while restoring and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.
Land use, especially deforestation, is a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions. The use of agricultural lands and freshwater must also ensure staple food, health and well-being of people and communities. Solutions should not contribute to the loss of carbon sinks or negatively impact the rights of indigenous and traditional communities.
Discover the urgent need for a clean energy transition in South Africa to combat skyrocketing electricity prices and poverty.
Discover how the Great Power Shift is demanding change and shifting power to create a sustainable and equitable energy future.
Dear Ancestors: a poignant and powerful story that bridges generations and cultures through the voices of Indigenous peoples and frontline communities fighting the climate crises.
This is Fracking: the untold story of fracking's impact on communities in Patagonia, Argentina.
Indigenous Voices from Latin America: how Indigenous people across Latin America view climate change and its consequences.
Climate Change is about Power: a quick explainer on how fossil fuel industry has grown rich by corrupting governments and treating the planet like an open sewer, with the impacts felt hardest by those least responsible — it's time to give power back to citizens and build a thriving global movement.
Power Up for Climate Justice: a report about financing and implementing a Global Renewables Target
Just Transitions and Just Energy Transition Partnerships: friends or foes?: background briefing about JETPs, their pros and cons and where we should focus our energy to make them better
From mass actions and grassroots organizing to digital pressure, the fight is happening now and we need you.
