Latest news with #JustTransitionCommission
The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Last government could have done better at helping Midlands adjust to peat-cutting ban
HELP GIVEN TO the Midlands to adapt to the peat-cutting ban was done in a reactive, rather than proactive, way, a new expert advisory group has said. The government should take lessons from the Midlands case study and have a better-planned approach in the future when helping other areas that are affected by climate action measures. That message comes as part of a report about how Ireland can ensure a just transition as it navigates the climate crisis. The idea of a just transition is about making sure that vulnerable groups people, communities and places aren't put at a disadvantage by the climate transition – either by climate change itself, or as a result of measures adopted to try to fight it – and can instead experience the benefits of climate action. That is to say, climate action should make life better, not worse, and it should be done fairly. In its first report, the new Just Transition Commission has taken stock of how Ireland is currently doing at trying to make the climate transition a just one. The answer, in short: We've made a start, but there's a lot of work that needs to be done to help people who are most affected by the climate transition and to make sure people can understand and experience the benefits of Ireland taking climate action. Mending the Midlands One of the first ways that Ireland has had to deal with a large number of people experiencing negative effects of a climate action measure was through the peat extraction ban. In 2022, the Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Green Party coalition government introduced a ban on the commercial sale of peat for fuel. This was in line with the country's efforts to switch to renewable sources of energy instead of fossil fuels that produce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for trapping heat inside the atmosphere and forcing average global temperatures upwards. But in the Midlands, where peat extraction was both an economic and cultural tradition for many families, it was a disconcerting blow. 'Ireland's experience with closing peat-fired power stations and ending commercial peat extraction in the Midlands offers important lessons for how to put just transition into practice,' the Commission's report said. The introduction of the government's just transition initiative came after the decision to cease peat extraction, not before. That meant it was much more of a reactive measure than a proactive one, the report said. As a result, its role in reducing disruption and mitigating impacts on workers, families and communities was limited. Advertisement The Commission stated that 'meaningful' just transition needs the state to take action 'well in advance' of decisions that bring about significant change. Reaping the rewards of climate action Creating a Just Transition Commission was mooted in the 2021 Climate Action Plan, but it took the government until 2024 to establish it. The Commission is made up of ten members, including representatives from sectors like agriculture, business and trade unions as well as climate experts, and chairperson Ali Sheridan. A core message of the report is that climate action should help to address and alleviate inequalities in society, not make them worse. It says the government shouldn't just try to soften the potential negative impacts of climate action measures but should also seek out the positive side-effects of climate action for the country – and explain what those are. The report states that there is a real risk that the climate transition could deepen existing inequalities in society unless deliberate action is taken to make sure that doesn't happen. 'We're at a critical time for climate action at large in Ireland,' said Commission chair Ali Sheridan. 'We're emerging from years, potentially decades, of understanding what we need to do in terms of what the science depicts and how we need to respond to it, but now we have to do much better at explaining how we're going to do it – who is going to be impacted, who is going to be the most vulnerable, and where it is we're trying to get to.' Speaking to The Journal , Sheridan said that the way just transition is handled currently in the government's climate action plans is focused largely on maximising employment opportunities. But it shouldn't be only about the number of jobs, Sheridan said. Rather, it needs to account for the quality of the jobs – making sure the employment is accessible and sustainable. A just transition would create 'an Ireland that builds a better future for all and ensures that no one is left behind'. 'While Ireland was not a major fossil fuel producer, that doesn't mean we're not going to be exposed in terms of climate risks and transitions. And while our transition might be more subtle, that shouldn't be conflated with being a softer or easier transition. In fact, it could be a much more widely spread, diverse transition,' Sheridan said. Public support The report also highlights that failing to make Ireland's climate transition a just one risks weakening public support for climate action. 'We're very lucky in Ireland that we still have a vast majority of the public who support ambitious climate action, but that's not the case around the world,' Sheridan said. 'If we're not very proactive in the very near future in setting out what it is we're attempting to do, how it's going to benefit society and how society is going to be protected, the risk of disinformation in this space is going to continue to grow,' she said. 'We're going to need acceptance and an appetite for what we need to do, so we need to set out how that's going to benefit people. 'Only a planned transition can be a fair transition, and so a just transition depends on not only the ambition, but the delivery of climate action targets and goals as well.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
‘The next critical conversation': chair of Just Transition Commission says it's essential climate action is fair to all
The transition to a way of living, working and travelling that doesn't produce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate breakdown asks more of some people than others. It is inherently, if unintentionally, unjust. And that's exactly what concerns the Just Transition Commission. 'We're very strong in Ireland on what we need to do in terms of climate action,' said commission chair Ali Sheridan. 'But how we're going to do it, who is going to be impacted, how are they going to be supported – that's the next critical conversation.' The Commission is an independent advisory body established by the government last year with 11 members appointed for a three-year term beginning last October. They come from a range of backgrounds, representing workers, farmers, business, academia, community organisations and children's rights. Its forerunner was the one-man Just Transition Commissioner post, assigned to Kieran Mulvey in 2019 specifically to oversee the government's response to the loss of jobs in the Midlands when Bord na Móna announced it would be shutting down its industrial peat extraction operations as part of its 'brown to green' transformation. But the concept of just transition originates with the international labour movement in the 1970s when employers in polluting industries shut up shop and left workers high and dry rather than bear the costs of new environmental regulations. Regulations were a benefit to society at large but that was little comfort to unemployed workers who, trade unions argued, should be supported to build new livelihoods rather than be simply sacrificed for the greater good. Around a decade ago, just transition became more closely associated with fossil fuel industries when countries such as Spain and Germany shut down coal mines to focus on developing renewable energy. ADVERTISEMENT And then the term entered public conversation in Ireland with the winding down of the peat industry. Now it is recognised that it has much wider implications. Whether it's determining which communities get flood protection first, what counties must host the most wind turbines, whose homes should be retrofitted for energy efficiency or where a new public transport service should be developed, Ms Sheridan says the principles of just transition must be central to decision-making. Government policy supports this view. The Programme for Government states that the Coalition will: 'Support the Just Transition Commission's work to listen to communities, address their concerns and ensure they benefit from the green transition.' The national Climate Action Plan has many references to just transition and its importance in implementing climate action measures. Legislation underpins this. The Climate Act states that the Government 'shall have regard to the requirement for a just transition to a climate-neutral economy which endeavours, in so far as is practicable, to maximise employment opportunities, and support persons and communities that may be negatively affected by the transition'. But Ms Sheridan has concerns around the strength of that wording. 'The current version being used in the Act and being used by Government is potentially very limited and very reactive in nature,' she said. 'Yes, it may soften the negative impacts of just transition, but it runs the risk of missing the much bigger opportunity we have to actually make just transition central to all our climate action going forward and all the co-benefits it can bring.' In its first report, published today, the Commission stresses the need for a clearer definition and vision for what just transition means in an Irish context. In meeting communities to prepare the report, the members found enthusiasm for the idea but also 'some level of scepticism and distrust' around it. 'If I was to ask you who is the most vulnerable to the climate transition, what sector, what type of person, what place, I don't think the answers to that are clear enough right now,' Ms Sheridan said. To that end, the commission has begun 'deep dives' into various sectors – agriculture, transport and energy to start with – and will begin publishing their findings later this year. Vulnerabilities can be wide-ranging, from the physical impacts of climate change on land and property to the financial burdens of trying to go green. 'We are going to be asking a huge amount of society in the very near coming years,' Ms Sheridan said. 'Every sector, every place, every person is going to be touched by this transition. 'We're only going to build the acceptance and appetite for what's to come if we put people and communities and places at the centre. 'So just transition is not a 'nice to have' – it's a critical part of delivering climate action.'
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Call for 'ambitious' strategy for climate-neutral economy
The Just Transition Commission has called on the Government to urgently provide a visionary, ambitious, just, and joined-up strategy for the whole-of-Ireland to transition to a climate-neutral economy. In its first report, it says that the Just Transition Strategy must uplift communities and enhance lives by creating better jobs, warmer homes, cleaner air and a more resilient society. The commission is an independent advisory body appointed by the Government, to focus on bringing new thinking and a constructive approach to helping the whole of Ireland move faster and fairly on climate change. Its introductory report highlights that the concept of a "just transition" is not a new concept in Ireland, but until now it has largely been associated with the midlands and the shift away from peat-based industries. It says that to move forward, the conversation and awareness levels must shift beyond the midlands, ensuring that just transition becomes a national priority for the whole of Ireland. Ali Sheridan, Chair of the Just Transition Commission, said that just transition cannot be reduced solely to energy policy or even climate action. "It requires a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities across different sectors, communities and groups, such as rural, farming, coastal, the midlands, people on low incomes, members of the Travelling community and other marginalised groups, among others," she said. The report says that there is a need to integrate just transition into all public messaging and communication around climate action and to build on the National Dialogue on Climate Action programme in terms of accessibility, affordability, accountability, and use of findings. The commission is calling for the establishment of indicators to support the monitoring and evaluation of Ireland's progress towards a just transition that accounts for those most affected or vulnerable to the transition.
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Energy Workers Face ‘Unjust Transition' Amid Shift Away From Oil and Gas, Says Report
Without swift action and investment, Scotland's oil and gas workers face an 'unjust transition,' as the industry shifts from fossil fuels to renewable energy. In its report Report authors warned that without clear plans, job opportunities, and training schemes, communities and the local economy could suffer, as workers struggle to find roles in a post-fossil fuel energy landscape. The commission added that it had visited several meetings to speak with oil and gas workers in Aberdeen and the north east, who 'No Plan' The Just Transition Commission, which provides independent scrutiny and advice to governments on the energy transition, said that there is 'still no transition plan for oil and gas workers.' The commission said that workers, industry, businesses, and communities need the government to outline a clear plan for creating job pathways for oil and gas workers, including roles in renewables and decommissioning. It also called for the creation of new green jobs and better preparation to manage potential economic shocks. Authors wrote: 'Accelerated deployment of offshore clean energy is essential and for this to happen employment in the offshore wind and associated transition industries must be made more attractive. Related Stories 4/24/2025 4/4/2025 'Renewables have a key role to play in delivering a just transition provided robust minimum standards are achieved across the industry for pay, conditions, health and safety regulation and union recognition.' Plan for Training Needed The report notes that 'a very significant portion of the current oil and gas supply chain workforce is highly transferable to renewables.' The commission said that a 'clear plan for training' was needed to retain this skilled workforce. This is key, not only to ensure locals remain employed, but to support the national and Scottish governments' aims to decarbonise the grid. 'There is a risk that a disorderly transition will lead to the loss of skilled workers in Scotland who might otherwise switch from oil and gas to renewables,' the report said. Similar concerns were expressed in Westminster last month, when the SNP's Kirsty Blackman A wind turbine at the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm, under construction around 27 kilometres from the coast of Montrose, Angus, Scotland, in the North Sea, on June 8, 2023. Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images Oil and gas workers have high levels of skill transferability, and as drilling processes vary little around the world, they could find well-paying jobs abroad, such as in Dubai. Blackman cautioned that this could lead to a critical skills shortage in Scotland, which could impact the government's plans to expand the UK's renewable energy sector. Workers 'at Heart of Just Transition to Net Zero' The commission called on the UK and Scottish governments to work with each other 'to bridge the widening jobs gap, and so ensure the UK retains, supports and enhances the skilled workforce required for the transition.' The report said: 'The decline of oil and gas production in the North Sea has been underway for a quarter of a century and the current path is not delivering a just transition. 'Without urgent and ambitious action, investment and government leadership, Scotland's offshore transition will not take place fairly, with harmful effects on workers, communities, employers and the regional economy of the North East that could otherwise be avoided.' The Scottish Government told The Epoch Times that it welcomed the Just Transition Commission's work in setting out the issues for the energy transition of industries in Aberdeen and the north east. Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: 'Workers are at the heart of Scotland's just transition to net zero. The Scottish Government is working with the energy sector to plan for a multi-skilled workforce and enable our skilled offshore workers to carry their experience and expertise into different roles as the sector evolves. 'We will continue to work together with organisations and workers across the region to ensure people and the communities they live in continue to thrive.' A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson told The Epoch Times: 'We have taken rapid steps to deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition as part of our Plan for Change, including by making the biggest investment in offshore wind and two first-of-a-kind carbon capture storage clusters. 'This comes alongside Great British Energy, which has already announced a £300 million investment in British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs, progressing our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.'
Scotsman
23-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Just transition? Why Aberdeen is facing mass job losses like 1980s coal communities
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish Government has no plan for a 'just transition' that could save thousands of energy industry jobs as oil supplies dwindle and the country moves towards net zero. That's the explosive claim made by none other than the Scottish Government's own Just Transition Commission and, presumably, they should know. It is estimated that some 2,000 North Sea jobs have been lost over the past 18 months, and there are fears that up to 4,000 more could go in the next two years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Professor Dave Reay, the commission's co-chair, said it felt like 'we are sleepwalking into an unjust transition' that could cause lasting damage to the economy and communities. 'We are at risk of losing people to overseas investors, to other countries, when we need those people here. If we want a growing economy, a net-zero transition, we need those skilled workers,' he said. 'There's a real risk now that we are looking at a repeat of previous unjust transitions in coal and steel...' Jobs being lost in the North Sea oil and gas industry are not being replaced quickly enough by replacements in the renewables sector (Picture: Andy Buchanan/WPA pool) | Getty Images World-leading marine renewables industry? This report should be a major wake-up call to both Scotland's governments and the industry. For too long, warm words have been used to mask the lack of substantive action. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We have known for years that the North Sea's reserves are running out and also about the need to reduce carbon emissions. It has also been clear that Scotland has a real chance to use the expertise in marine engineering, built up over decades, to create a world-leading marine renewables industry. However, as Reay pointed out, if those skilled workers lose their oil industry jobs without others to go to, whether in renewables or fossil fuels, many will decide to move to other, more enlightened countries. This should be no surprise for followers of the SNP's performance in government, given their dismal record of failing to 'deliver' on their promises, from climate change targets to ferries and the dualling the A9. But news about Labour's much vaunted public company, GB Energy, also seems to have gone decidedly quiet.
