#Just transition

[probablyasocialecologist]

Surveying forms of climate-class struggle, movements, and events provides a glimpse into how the green transition might be redirected along social, worker-led lines. “Class struggle” is used in broad terms here to include questions of ecology alongside social reproduction, sexuality, identity, racism, and the like – all of which concern quality of life and are of as much interest to “labour” as are pay and conditions. Only from the vantage point of capital, or on a narrowly-drawn negotiating table, do workers’ needs appear reducible to ledgers of hours and pennies. Tony Mazzocchi, the US labour leader who coined the term “just transition”, provides a valuable counterpoint. As an activist, Mazzocchi was critical of the post-war social contract whereby union leaders surrendered input into decisions on the production process in exchange for improved wages. His red-green radicalism grew from the insistence that the health and wellbeing of workers requires transformation across the full spectrum of workplace and social life.

12 June 2024

[climatecalling]

Uruguay imports its oil, so it had a problem. ... President Tabaré Vázquez was forced to buy energy from neighbouring states at higher prices. To escape the trap, Vázquez turned to an unlikely source: Ramón Méndez Galain, a physicist who would transform the country’s energy grid into one of the cleanest in the world. Today, the country has almost phased out fossil fuels in electricity production. Depending on the weather, anything between 90% and 95% of its power comes from renewables. In some years, that number has crept as high as 98%. Phasing out fossil fuels was a central issue at Cop28. After a week of tense negotiations in Dubai, countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuels within energy systems – but campaigners, governments and environmental experts continue to debate how to make that transition. One answer could lie in what Uruguay has achieved within a decade and a half. ...

The more Galain researched the issue, the more he became convinced ... that the country should go all in on wind power. Soon after, he received a phone call inviting him to become Uruguay’s energy secretary and to implement his plan. “Imagine my surprise,” Galain says. “This was crazy. But I did something even more crazy: I accepted.”

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

In today’s episode, Ariel chats with Heather MacKenzie, Executive Director of Solar Alberta, about transitioning to renewable energy deep in the heart of oil and gas country - in a just and sustainable way. Join us to learn about the history of the Solar Alberta organization, from its grassroots beginnings in neighbourhood solar projects, to dealing with (government-funded!) trolls online, all the way up to being the leading non-profit solar organization in Alberta and providing worker upskilling in a unique market.

You can go to https://solaralberta.ca to learn more, or connect with and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Connect with Solarpunk Magazine at solarpunkmagazine.com and on Twitter @solarpunklitmag

Connect with Solarpunk Presents Podcast on Twitter @SolarpunkP, Mastodon @solarpunkpresents@climatejustice.rocks, or at our blog https://solarpunkpresents.com/

Connect with Ariel at her blog, on Twitter at @arielletje, and on Mastodon @arielkroon@wandering.shop

Connect with Christina at her blog, on Twitter @xtinadlr, and on Mastodon @xtinadlr@wandering.shop

[movingnortharchive]

"JUST TRANSITION"

Scotland, December 2022

📸: Olympus Trip AF MD + Kodak Ultramax

[leparoledelmondo]

Just Transition 

Uno dei temi in discussione a COP28 è la Just Transition, Transizione giusta. Nel mondo ci sono tante disuguaglianze, a scala globale, regionale, e nazionale. I cambiamenti climatici, in termini di impatti, spesso vanno a colpire i gruppi più vulnerabili, donne, giovani, Paesi meno sviluppati, popoli indigeni, andando ad esasperare le disuguaglianze sociali già esistenti.

Anche la transizione verso una traiettoria delle emissioni che sia net-zero rischia di mettere in difficoltà alcuni gruppi e Paesi. Ad esempio, oltre ad avere obiettivi nazionali ambiziosi in termini di mitigazione, i Paesi in via di sviluppo, di nuovo, hanno bisogno di consistenti finanziamenti per portare a termine i loro obiettivi, (vedi post https://leparoledelmondo.tumblr.com/) senza i quali non possono permettersi la transizione. Inoltre il consumo del carbon budget da parte dei soli Paesi sviluppati, che negli ultimi decenni lo hanno quasi terminato, non è coerente con la definizione di giustizia climatica.

La just transition quindi si pone l’obiettivo di permettere uno sviluppo sostenibile di tutti i Paesi, con il raggiungimento degli SDG (obiettivi di sviluppo sostenibile dell'Agenda 2030) e l’eliminazione della povertà, e di non lasciare indietro nessuno.

Illustrazione by Maurits Cornelis Escher - https://mcescher.com/

[rivetgoth]

It's honestly crazy that discussion around testosterone HRT skews so much towards the beginning stages of it (to the point that you have dozens of guys thinking their transition is "failed" if they don't pass by like a year in lol) and what the initial changes of the first couple of months to years look like, like the classic laundry list of those early basic changes like bottom growth, voice drop, etc, when IMO literally none of that compares remotely to the depth and intensity of the long term total masculinization you start to experience like 3-5+ years in.

[climate-rambles]

The Lack of Working Class Input in the Just Transition Is a Global Issue

"Leaders of unions... expressed their suspicion regarding the concept of Just Transition. They view it as a framework defined by the West and imposed upon the countries of the Global South."

In this article, every single person interviewed agreed that tackling climate change is important, and that a green energy transition is vital. But without collaboration, it has come to be seen as yet another thing imposed upon them without their consent. Yet without the contribution of their skills, knowledge and concerns, how can they be sure that the just transition won't compound existing inequalities, or speak to their direct needs? They can't - and this ambivalence will only continue unless something changes - as illustrated in this direct quote from an interviewee:

"The concept which came from the US shouldn't be blindly applied in Indian context because our issues are different. So we must try to redefine what does Just Transition mean for Indian workers & their dependents."

Link to article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629624004031

[africaindustrializationday]

From vision to practice for a just transition for all - Part 1.

A cross-regional South-South Policy Dialogue on energy, sustainable finance, and enterprises for and enhancing NDC ambition. The policy dialogue will be held between 20-21 November 2024 at the Just Transition Pavilion during the COP29. It is an ILO led event in joint collaboration and support from the UN-PAGE programme (that bring five agencies: ILO, UNEP, UNDP, UNIDO and UNITAR).

Watch From vision to practice for a just transition for all - Part 1!

[stemmmm]

more people gotta try this shit where bill has not improved and will not change but he's just chilling so its fine probably. its great

[choicesgoddess]

the craziest thing about being transmasc or a trans man is that people LOVE to say you’re gonna look ugly, gonna turn ugly etc. and personally for a while i bought into this nonsense. but one day i decided fuck it, decided to transition and you know what happened? i still retained the most handsome parts of the person i was before. but i looked happier. i looked more beautiful, more handsome, prettier, stylish, hot. because i finally looked like me & so much happier and confident. anyway, this is just to say - go transition dude, if you’re hesitating. you will only look even more handsome & beautiful, fuck their propaganda.

[kirkypet]

the fact that "eco" and "ethical" are two separate concerns in the global north, and that "eco" is a much more popular concern, with many "eco" products being made in actual sweatshops, is a big part of why i am The Joker

[probablyasocialecologist]

Lest anyone be confused, there are two very closely connected reasons why these politicians are so committed to pushing the idea that environmentalism and good jobs are mutually exclusive: one, they work for business interests that make money by harming the environment; and two, they fear the power of organized labor if it is focused in the correct direction. The farcical but somehow ongoing project of the Republican Party to pose as some sort of Party of the Working Class is a pathetic attempt to see if culture wars are powerful enough to trick working people into voting for a set of political goals that will keep them poor and make them die early. The ideal for these Republican politicians would be: no unions, more fossil fuels, and white workers lured by racism and xenophobia and scientific lies to vote against any sort of working class unity. The opposite ideal—the one that UAW is in the process of manifesting—is: strong unions, workers united, higher wages, and a Just Transition into a future of cleaner, greener jobs that will reduce pollution and inequality in one fell swoop. None of this, by the way, is an advertisement for the Democratic Party, which has a long history of being pathetic in its own ways. It is an advertisement for unions. Saving working people from poverty and saving working people from pollution and rising seas and cancer are all part of the job of saving working people. That is what unions do.

[josdimension]

The intersection of climate change and a just transition

This week was what I would describe as a major moment of unity across the U.S., besides sporting events like the Super Bowl, holidays like Christmas and milestones like New Year's Eve there are few moments when the whole country has a common focus or goal. Well maybe elections but that can often be polarizing. The solar eclipse this week was a natural phenomena, a mix of science and wonder, even attributable to a higher power if you believe, and it got everyone to stop what they were doing and marvel at the moon passing in front of the sun for a short while. That being said, no one denied it was happening regardless of whether they had a scientific background or not, and everyone had access to it, but just needed to put on the protective glasses which people were able to get from everywhere, either for free or at a low cost. This experience made me think of what a just transition could look like.

Developing resilience amid increasing climate challenges is something we should all be unifying around, not just in the US but globally. In this week's class the speakers did a great job of demonstrating how a community-driven model for equitable resilience, including indigenous perspectives, community involvement in decisions, and sustainable approaches for a resilient future could make both climate action and a just transition a more attainable reality. The first speaker stressed the importance of indigenous insights in climate resilience, advocating for collaborative partnerships and equitable compensation. The second speaker discussed community-led solutions that illustrated how community engagement promotes sustainability and fairness in climate action.

Recently I was discussing with a colleague the IFC Performance Standards, which have a specific section on Indigenous Peoples as a consideration in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments for project finance. She was telling me about how the Dakota access pipeline conflict really opened her eyes to the general disregard of indigenous knowledge and voices in the present day (and historically) when it comes to avoiding destruction of nature and sacred sites. Subsequently, the discussion in class highlighted how integrating indigenous knowledge and community feedback into climate adaptation (and mitigation) plans can strengthen our collective capacity to endure and rebound from environmental risks. It is possible to safeguard livelihoods, while preserving ecosystems, and promoting solidarity and empowerment.

Circumventing the risks of exceeding planetary boundaries hinges on a sense of urgency, scientific insights and values, global collaboration, and a commitment to sustainable development. Climate action requires transitioning to renewable energy sources in a just way that does overburden any one group. It also requires adopting sustainable practices across sectors including nature-based solutions and broader biodiversity positive actions. Moreover countries need to recognize historical responsibilities and inequities between the global north and south. Above all, supporting vulnerable communities and countries disproportionately affected by climate change, is pivotal to a truly just transition.

[hinamie]

I don't want to regret the way I lived

[blackhistorychatgpt]

People of Color in Climate Careers Image Generator

Something a little different today. Sharing an AI project I built yesterday. The original inspiration was I started creating these vision boards of people in climate careers. I wanted people to really see the future we were trying to create. I wanted people of color to see themseleves as part of the narrative of a just transition.

There can never be too many positive images of people of color in the world. Then I thought what if I built an application that allowed everyone to easily create images of the future we can build together. Thus was born the People of Color in Climate Image Generator.

This is still an early demo but I wanted to put it out in the world. Please check it out, create images, share with your friends. Below are some of the images that got created as I was building the application.

[frownyalfred]

thinking about a Damian who was raised his entire life hearing how much he looks like his Father, how he's the blood son, how he's better than any other child Bruce Wayne has taken in, starting to buy into it like a kid does, only to hit puberty and turn out looking like 80% Talia.