ANTHONY BUTLER: The language of ‘just transition’ could become a Tower of Babel
Conflicting interests and interpretations have the potential to threaten the project itself
Delay and confusion continue to dog SA’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The partnership, initially unveiled at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021, brought SA together with EU partners, the US and the UK. Expected to provide $8.5bn in loan and grant funding, it was seen as the only mechanism on the table to source international finance to accelerate retirement of coal-fired power plants, reskill carbon sector workers and support coal-dependent regions.
SA’s development partners viewed the JETP as a cost-effective way to reduce emissions while also encouraging private investment in clean energy, electrification and other green technologies. It was a test case to start filling a significant credibility gap in global energy transition policy, with agreements now being extended to other countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt and India...
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