Top left: Prof. Dr. Pao-Yu Oei, Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF). Top right: Grace Quiceno Soto, Academic Coordinator TRAJECTS Hub Europe. Bottom left: Prof. Dr. Franziska Holz, Deputy Head of the Department of Energy, Transport and Environment of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin). Bottom right: Birgit Strube from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

___________________________

In this exciting dialogue, organised by the Transnational Centre for Just Transitions in Energy, Climate and Sustainability - TRAJECTS, attendees were able to learn about the work and experience of experts from different countries.

On 21 March, TRAJECTS organised a Sustainability Transition Dialogue side event entitled "Best Practices in Just Transition Policies in Coal Regions: The Role of International Partnerships" at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2024 conference. This side event that took place in the Federal Foreign Office had the participation of 46 attendees from different organizations and allowed to see representatives from academia, think tanks, and the public and private sector share their perspectives and experiences on transition in coal regions, answering three key questions: 

• What are your experiences/opinions on just transition policies in coal regions?
• What is the potential of international partnerships, e.g. to improve justice dimensions?
• How can we improve international partnerships and just transition in countries of the Global South?

The morning began with an introduction by the event moderator, Prof. Dr. Pao-Yu Oei, TRAJECTS, Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF) and a short presentation about TRAJECTS by the Academic Coordinator for the European Hub, Grace Quiceno Soto. This was followed by two sessions and networking spaces.

The first session, "The importance of "fairness" in international partnerships", opened with remarks by Prof. Dr. Franziska Holz, Deputy Head of the Department of Energy, Transport and Environment of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), who emphasised the importance of examining stranded assets, pointing to China as a key player in this field. Prof Holz’s contributions were followed by Birgit Strube from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), who discussed the potential of international partnerships and the need for solid structures to enhance them, highlighting the importance of multi-stakeholder participation in this process.

Top left: Kathrin Henneberger, Member of the Bundestag. Top right: Dr. Kerstin Mohr, Policy Advisor for Climate, Energy, Just Transition, Gender and International Cooperation. Bottom left: Paula Walk, research associate of the FossilExit research group. Bottom right: Panel of experts moderated by Prof. Dr. Pao-Yu Oei at the end of the first session.

Kathrin Henneberger, Member of the Bundestag and Chair of the Subcommittee on International Climate and Energy Policy and the German Bundestag's Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, spoke about the political struggle to phase out coal in the western regions of Germany, highlighting the identity struggles of male workers and underlining the need to recognise this in the public debate. Furthermore, she highlighted that the coal phase-out is also a feminist debate that requires taking women and their specific needs into account. This connected with Dr. Kerstin Mohr, Policy Advisor Climate, Energy, Just Transition, Gender and International Cooperation, presentation on an intersectional gender perspective of just transitions, arguing that a gendered approach can be a powerful tool to both understand the dynamics involved and help to understand the complexity of the process. This message was reinforced by Paula Walk, a research associate at FossilExit research group, who offered a vision with an emphasis on gender justice as a fundamental pillar of just transitions.

The session concluded with a panel of experts moderated by Prof. Dr. Pao-Yu Oei, where the attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and contribute with their own experiences. One of the highlights of the discussion was from the Colombian ambassador to Germany, Yadir Salazar Mejía, who called on the representatives of the German government and the congresswoman present, to give more clarity on the "Alliance for Climate and Just Energy Transition". The agreement was signed in 2023 between Colombia and Germany and it’s central objective is the expansion of cooperation on renewable energies, the protection of forests, biodiversity, and sustainable urban development. The ambassador placed special emphasis on the need to clarify the amount of funding for this agreement, in which the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, Economy and Climate Protection, and Environment, proposed financial support of up to 200 million euros for the fulfilment of Colombia's national climate objectives, but to date the mechanisms for the transfer of this support have not been established. The importance of democracy and the involvement of the various stakeholders affected by the transition processes was also highlighted, as well as the management of expectations regarding the funds transferred and what can be achieved in the framework of these international partnerships.

The Colombian Ambassador to Germany, Yadir Salazar Mejía, opened the second session on "International Partnerships: Lessons Learned and Future Perspectives", highlighting the importance of climate and energy partnerships with Germany, underlining the need for adaptation and the time required for these partnerships to bear fruits. Dr. Grace Mbungu, Senior Fellow, and Head of the Climate Change Program at the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI), shared with the audience a human development perspective on just energy transition, as well as its geopolitical and historical context, and asked how effective these transition processes are, are they actually reaching the people, how to financially design the transition processes, and how to make the transition processes work. Nga Ngo Thuy, Project Manager in International Coal Transitions, Agora Energiewende, shared experiences from different regions of the world, including Vietnam and South Africa, highlighting the importance of adapting strategies to local realities and designing clear and coherent financing schemes.

Top left: Yadir Salazar Mejía, Colombian Ambassador to Germany. Top right: Dr. Grace Mbungu, Senior Fellow, and Head of the Climate Change Programme at the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI). Bottom left: Nga Ngo Thuy, Project Manager International in Coal Transitions, Agora Energiewende. Bottom right: Reena Skribbe of the New Climate  Institute.

Reena Skribbe of the New Climate Institute, who is an expert on the energy sector with a focus on Southeast Asian economies, emphasised the importance of including health impacts in discussions on just energy transitions. Binnu Jeyakumar, Senior Consultant for The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), shared some of the challenges and considerations for international partnerships, as well as practical actions to incorporate just transition principles into coal exit mechanisms, while Moritz Schäfer, Associate Director at Guidehouse, highlighted the crucial role of sub-national governance in this process.

The second session concluded with a panel discussion on, what point in the process of just transitions should civil society consultation or participation be included. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and comment on lessons learned and what is expected from international partnerships. Interesting positions were also presented on how countries should take ownership of their own transition processes in order to avoid the inherent limitations of such international partnerships.

Top left: Binnu Jeyakumar, Senior Consultant for The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA). Top right: Moritz Schäfer, Associate Director of Guidehouse. Centre left: Panel of experts at the end of the second session of presentations. Other photos: Participants' contributions to the discussion.

The event provided a valuable platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to just energy transition in coal regions within the framework of international partnerships and highlighted the need for inclusive and contextualised approaches to achieve meaningful change in this crucial field for the future of the planet. This dialog was a fruitful exchange which we look forward to continuing in more upcoming meetings, including a session at the 2nd Interdisciplinary Conference of the DAAD-funded Global Centres for Climate and Environment next September.

Stay tuned with TRAJECTS and follow us on social media, to learn more about us, get access to our resources, publications, calls, opportunities, news and future events