The global energy system is the leading cause of the climate crisis - primarily driven by fossil fuels, which are responsible for around 81% of global CO2 emissions. It’s vital we accelerate the shift from fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas to clean, renewable energy as quickly as possible to reduce emissions.
But in solving one challenge, we must not create another. This huge shift must have the full support of everyone affected, and they must all benefit.
To help accelerate this change, WWF co-founded the Alliance for a Just Energy Transformation, a voluntary initiative that aims to catalyse a shared understanding and drive action to transform the energy system.
The Alliance will help advance inclusive, people-centred dialogue with communities, civil society, governments, businesses and the finance sector to find common ground and ensure this huge, critical transformation is just and sustainable.
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Contact:
If your company or organisation is interested in joining the Alliance, email the team on ajet@wwfint.org for more information.
Core principles of the Alliance for a Just Energy Transformation
- Be guided by science and understand the urgency to reduce emissions in line with the goals set out by the Paris Agreement.
- Be fair and uphold the rights, needs and values of everyone - no single group should be privileged over others and the upfront costs must not fall on those with the least responsibility for climate change or ability to bear them.
- Be sustainable, ambitious and consistent with wider, holistic strategies that contribute to the energy transition needed to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C, or well under 2°C.
- Be comprehensive, transparent and inclusive, which requires that just transition strategies developed at the national level to be co-designed and implemented at the local level.
- Ensure clearly-defined, robust and meaningful stakeholder engagement and social dialogue, including a specific focus on social protection and gender equality policies to promote equitable access to benefits.
- Be centred on climate justice so that the burdens of climate change, as well as the costs of avoiding it, are shared fairly; both internationally and inter-generationally. Implementation of the transition must support jobs, local communities and improve human wellbeing in the developing world.
- Recognise energy access as an essential contributor for social wellbeing, economic growth, enabler of sustainable development and improved livelihoods and transformation of energy systems must enable large scale access to clean, safe and reliable energy to meet developmental needs of all.
- Ensure access to justice, decision-making and information: A common approach to investment which upholds indigenous and local community rights. Recognition and implementation of the right to meaningful participation in energy transition decision-making processes for all stakeholders, acknowledging and compensating for differences in resources and capacity to engage.
Energy transitions and social justice questions are intrinsically linked, and the paper identifies the different elements that must pull together and integrate to enable successful energy transitions that deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.