Prioritising a just energy transition

In this blog post, Tiffany Trundell, Programme and Project Manager at the Institute, explores the critical topic of prioritising a just energy transition. As the world grapples with the importance of achieving Net Zero amidst global instability, the recent COP conference in Azerbaijan highlighted the shifting priorities on the international stage. With geopolitical tensions and a lack of G7 presence, the urgency of climate action feels more pressing than ever. Despite these challenges, the UK has a unique opportunity to lead by example, embedding a fair and just transition to clean energy at the heart of its strategy. Here, Tiffany looks at UK's role in this global effort and the steps needed to ensure a sustainable and equitable energy future. 

The global energy agenda

This month, world leaders gathered in Azerbaijan for the annual COP conference, to a very different discourse than in recent years, not least due to its being held in the first major oil production centre outside of the United States. The shift of priorities on the international stage brought by the US election and escalation in Ukraine and Gaza, amongst other things, has left the agenda around climate change feeling somewhat lacklustre and disconnected. With so many issues competing for attention in global politics, there is a fear that action to prevent and prepare for climate change is stagnating and that climate conferences have become “meaningless rituals”. This narrative was only exacerbated by the lack of G7 presence at COP this year though Keir Starmer took up the mantle of leading on the climate agenda calling for global leadership on climate change.

The UK’s role in achieving Net Zero

Despite the ongoing controversy and lack of tangible change or direction coming from this year’s COP, the conference did highlight a real opportunity for the UK to lead by example in this area. There was a particular focus on the lack of progress there has been in member states embedding the Just Transition to Net Zero in their strategies and indicators, but in this area at least, the UK has made some progress. The Labour government has already marked a fair and just transition to clean energy as fundamental to their objectives whilst in office, having committed to an Industrial Strategy and started appointments for GB Energy, starting to position the UK as a clean energy superpower.

How we can deliver a just energy transition

Throughout this year, our Policy Commission on the just transition, chaired by Lord Watson of Wyre Forest, former Labour deputy leader, has been gathering evidence from key players in the UK energy ecosystem including from GMB, the Energy Systems Catapult, Just Transition Scotland, Uplift, Community Energy South, and Finance Earth to name a few. Our own academics have also been sharing insights from our world leading research, in aid of finding a path forward to a just transition. Earlier this month (12th November), we launched our report for Delivery a Just Energy Transition in the House of Lords, which sets out six key principles and recommendations for the UK’s development and implementation of a Just Transition framework, informed by the evidence compiled throughout the year. This report puts forward clear actions for the government to ensure the successful transition to clean energy.

Lord Watson (Chair of the Commission), Professor Lucelia Rodrigues (Deputy Chair of the Commission) and Bill Esterson (Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee), all spoke to the importance of these recommendations in setting a clear direction of travel for achieving our net zero objectives in a way that promotes the positive benefits this brings to our communities and fairly distributes the opportunities that arise. The report does this through six key recommendations for government:

• Establish a positive narrative around the move to a low carbon future

• Establish clarity on transition end points, impacts and timetables

• Articulate a clear and consistent mandate for the public sector

• Utilise industrial strategy to deliver a just transition

• Reform skills delivery to align with transition requirements

• Focus planning reform on local and regional benefits as well as pace

The role of research – examples from the East Midlands

The connection and utilisation of research and technological developments will be essential to meeting our net zero objectives. The East Midlands are an excellent example of how industry, local authorities and research institutions have come together to develop innovative solutions for Net Zero, from a thriving organisational ecosystem for Hydrogen production to new advancements in Nuclear energy including the recently approved, West Burton Nuclear Fusion plant which will be one of the UK’s first prototype fusion energy plants in the country, bringing innovation and jobs to the region.

Innovation and programmes like the ones mentioned above along with government initiatives such as the recently announced Investment Zones, will be what catapults the UK to Net Zero, allowing us to become global heavy weights in the field of clean energy. Now more than ever, Britain’s leadership in clean energy will be imperative to furthering our progress to a green world, using the decisions of today to make a brighter, cleaner, more prosperous future for the generations to come.