Just Energy Transition Conceptual Framework

The Institute for Economic Justice presents a conceptual framework for a research project in South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya. The framework examines how the localisation of renewable energy technologies—defined by domestic manufacturing, ownership, and employment—can lead to both economic and social upgrading. Using a Global Production Networks (GPN) perspective and an operational assessment matrix, the project analyzes value creation, power relations, and the distribution of gains across various social axes to inform policies that align energy expansion with decent work and sustainable livelihoods.

• The framework defines localisation as a development pathway aimed at strengthening productive capacity and reshaping ownership, work, and livelihoods. This involves building local manufacturing and assembly capacity, increasing domestic ownership, expanding local employment, and using domestic resources for local markets.
• A primary focus of the framework is the link between economic upgrading and social upgrading. Social upgrading is defined as improvements in wages, working conditions, workers' rights, gender equity, racial justice, and general community and household wellbeing.
• The analytical approach utilizes the Global Production Networks (GPN) perspective to examine value creation, capture, and enhancement, as well as power relations between states, firms, workers, households, and civil society. It integrates Marxist, feminist, and ecological political economy to move beyond firm-centred analysis.
• To apply the theory, the project uses an assessment matrix to operationalise concepts like value capture and social upgrading. This matrix is used to systematically analyze ownership patterns, job quality, labour rights, capability development in local firms, and the link between industrial policy and sustainable livelihoods.

APA

iej (2026). Just Energy Transition Conceptual Framework. Institute for Economic Justice. https://iej.org.za/resource/research-report/just-energy-transition-conceptual-framework/

Chicago

iej. Just Energy Transition Conceptual Framework. Institute for Economic Justice, 2026. https://iej.org.za/resource/research-report/just-energy-transition-conceptual-framework/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=iej |title=Just Energy Transition Conceptual Framework |publisher=Institute for Economic Justice |date=19 February 2026 |url=https://iej.org.za/resource/research-report/just-energy-transition-conceptual-framework/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{iej2026just, author = {iej}, title = {{Just Energy Transition Conceptual Framework}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://iej.org.za/resource/research-report/just-energy-transition-conceptual-framework/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }