The transition to net-zero emissions in Australia is a challenging endeavor. Although the government announced efforts to revive lagging investment in renewable energy last week, existing industrial greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase. Nevertheless, the Paris Agreement mandates that Australia establish even more ambitious objectives for 2035.
Governments in Australia and other countries are simultaneously confronted with a growing community opposition to the implementation of the renewable energy infrastructure necessary for a net-zero transition. The electoral agendas of right-wing parties are being advanced by utilizing the aforementioned opposition.
Although this pressure is significant, it underscores the dismal circumstances of the Australian government. In order to enhance its climate performance, the government must implement mission-driven, government-wide action that is predicated on the concept of a “just transition.”
The fundamental elements of a fair transition are as follows:
A fair transition is equally critical to distributive justice and procedural justice. Distributive justice involves policies that guarantee an equitable distribution of the economic benefits and burdens of the climate transition, as well as safeguards for low-income individuals.
Active involvement with workers who are directly impacted by the decrease in fossil fuel production is a component of procedural justice, but it also incorporates a broader range of issues. It involves more than merely getting involved with stakeholders, who primarily represent established industries. It involves ensuring that marginalized communities are represented and are actively involved in the decision-making process.
Personnel who departed from the Hazelwood Power Station following its closure in 2017 must be included in an equitable transition, but it must also extend beyond this.
A just transition would provide every community in Australia with the opportunity to not only engage in discussions about the benefits and drawbacks of different net-zero strategies, but also to influence the development of climate policies that directly affect them.
The government’s willingness to leverage the knowledge of local communities regarding the lands and waters in order to create viable solutions is potentially critical to the success of the net zero transition.
The Just Transition Declaration was endorsed by the Labor government during the COP27 global climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh last year. The second principle of the declaration elucidates the concept in question.
Effective and inclusive social dialogue is essential for the formulation of countries’ transition plans that are just, nationally coherent, locally led, and efficient.
Nevertheless, the Albanese government’s net-zero strategy does not explicitly commit to a fair transition. In contrast, the strategy it employs is fragmented and fails to address the critical issue of fossil fuel elimination.
Is there a comprehensive strategy in place, despite the abundance of governmental entities?
In May, the government announced its intention to establish a statutory Net Zero Authority with the stated objective of “empowering the communities, industries, and workers who have historically supplied energy to Australia to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the country’s net zero transition.”
It is expected that the governing body will “support employees in their transition from industries that generate significant emissions,” assist corporations and investors in pursuing opportunities for net-zero transformation, and assist communities and regions in attracting fresh investments in renewable energy.
In July, the government established the Net Zero Economic Agency, an interim entity located within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, to expedite the establishment of the Net Zero Authority and develop the requisite legislation.
The Net Zero Economic Agency has been placed under the leadership of Greg Combet, a former minister of climate change.
Former Labor Minister of Climate Change The agency is chaired by Greg Combet, and it receives assistance from a ten-member advisory council. The mining industry and mining unions are represented by three members. Nevertheless, the social welfare sector and environmental and climate NGOs, among other critical stakeholders, are not represented.
In parallel, climate minister Chris Bowen has established a Net Zero Taskforce within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment, and Water to offer guidance on the strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and the 2035 emissions reduction target.
The Climate Change Authority will direct the taskforce to develop six sectoral decarbonization plans in the following areas:
- Electricity and energy
- sector
- resources [subs
- the environment that has been constructed
- Agriculture and territory
- conveyance services.
It is unclear how the operation of each of these organisms contributes to the overall system. An all-encompassing National Cabinet Committee for Net Zero, as suggested by Tony Wood of the Grattan Institute, could streamline the necessary coordination, provided that it is guided by an integrated transition strategy toward net zero.
Nevertheless, the interim agency and the taskforce’s government websites do not mention a just transition; they merely indicate that they will work in conjunction with unions, communities, industry, First Nations, and affected workers in their respective regions. The facilitation of inclusive dialogues that transcend societal boundaries and communities is impeded by insufficient financial resources, institutional ingenuity, and capacity development.
Insights from both domestic and international discourse
The Net Zero Authority is in a favorable position to facilitate and finance these dialogues, which are most effectively conducted with the goal of achieving systemic transformation.
Based on the Sydney Policy Lab’s findings from a community “listening campaign” regarding the climate transition in Geelong, the authority will not receive any support for its transition planning if the most significant issues to the local community (such as affordable housing and secure housing) are disregarded.
In other contexts, these strategies have accomplished notable accomplishments in previous implementations. The effective adoption of wind energy in Denmark has been significantly influenced by social dialogues, as determined by an OECD study. Denmark currently obtains a substantial portion of its energy output from it.
Vinnova, the government’s innovation agency in Sweden, has recently developed processes that necessitate extensive collaboration to redesign systems such as food and energy in order to achieve net zero and other objectives. In order to ensure a comprehensive approach to sustainable development, these procedures require collaborations with academia, industry, and civil society.
A voice in the transition to net-zero energy is being requested by members of the Cairns First Nations Clean Energy Network.
The First Nations Clean Energy Network is known as AAP.
The transition will not be impeded by a commitment to inclusive dialogue; rather, it will be fortified by the promotion of societal acceptance of the essential changes and the accountability of those responsible for the inequities of the fossil fuel era.
The government will be better equipped to address political resentment as decarbonization advances if the dialogue is more inclusive.
A national summit on net zero
In order to accomplish these objectives, it will be necessary to establish extensive collaboration among federal, state, and local administrations.
In order to accelerate this process and leverage the accomplishments of regional summits, it is advised that a nationwide summit be convened to evaluate the perspectives and initiatives of a broad range of stakeholders. Local governments, climate and energy non-governmental organizations, and historically marginalized communities are also included, despite the importance of unions and employees.
A net zero summit would enable a conversation between the diverse demands of citizens and the perspectives of policy elites and incumbent interests. It is imperative that Indigenous communities are included in the process, as they are the source of a significant portion of the renewable energy infrastructure and critical minerals, respectively.
Discussions at the summit must not be superficial. It must be capable of accommodating a significant number of voices. The goal is to identify, suggest, and finance a net zero transition in a way that does not unduly benefit investors and corporations, but rather promotes their interests. the interests of corporations and investors. The objective is to identify, suggest, and finance a net zero transition in a manner that does not unduly prioritize the interests of investors and companies, but rather advocates for them.
