TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION FOR WORKERS AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that South Africa's current approach to a just transition is dominated by market-based solutions and 'techno-fixes' that preserve a problematic economic structure. The report identifies the Minerals-Energy Complex (MEC) and neoliberal macroeconomic frameworks as primary drivers of both climate emissions and social inequality. To counter this, the IEJ proposes a 'caring rights-based economy' centered on human and planetary well-being, advocating for public ownership of energy, a job guarantee, and restorative justice to address historical losses. The document outlines specific measures across social, industrial, labour, land, and macroeconomic policies to ensure the transition does not exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, particularly for Black women and coal-sector workers.

• The South African economy is characterized by a Minerals-Energy Complex (MEC), a system of capitalist accumulation that prioritizes the interests of mining and energy sectors, contributing to structural unemployment, poverty, and high greenhouse gas emissions.
• Current climate policies in South Africa are criticized for lacking ambition and over-relying on market-based mechanisms and technological substitutes for nature, which the IEJ argues maintain the neoliberal economic model rather than transforming it.
• The IEJ proposes a 'caring rights-based economy' as a foundational principle for a just transition, which would prioritize human and planetary well-being over profit and include a 'social guarantee' of living incomes and universal basic services.
• A just transition must be economy-wide and inclusive of restorative justice to provide redress for historical economic, environmental, and social losses incurred by individuals and communities.
• The report advocates for the maintenance of public ownership of the electricity system to prevent privatization from increasing costs and reducing energy access.
• To mitigate job losses in the coal value chain, which affects over 120,000 workers, the IEJ recommends a job guarantee and the localization of renewable energy technology manufacturing.
• The document emphasizes that climate change impacts are experienced unequally based on race, class, and gender, noting that Black women are particularly vulnerable due to high unemployment and the burden of unpaid care work.
• The IEJ proposes a green macroeconomic framework involving progressive taxation (such as wealth and land taxes) and a shift in monetary policy away from inflation targeting toward full employment and environmental sustainability.
• Equitable land redistribution is identified as essential for a just transition, as land ownership is tied to power and the ability of communities to adapt to climate change.

APA

Baloyi, B., Taylor, J., Lehmann-Grube, K., & Suliman, L. (2022). TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION FOR WORKERS AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. Institute for Economic Justice. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEJ-JustTransition-PP-Aug2022.pdf

Chicago

Baloyi, Basani, Julia Taylor, Katrina Lehmann-Grube, and Lutfiyah Suliman. TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION FOR WORKERS AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. Institute for Economic Justice, 2022. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEJ-JustTransition-PP-Aug2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Baloyi |first1=Basani |last2=Taylor |first2=Julia |last3=Lehmann-Grube |first3=Katrina |last4=Suliman |first4=Lutfiyah |title=TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION FOR WORKERS AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES |publisher=Institute for Economic Justice |date=August 2022 |url=https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEJ-JustTransition-PP-Aug2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{baloyi2022towards, author = {Baloyi, Basani and Taylor, Julia and Lehmann-Grube, Katrina and Suliman, Lutfiyah}, title = {{TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION FOR WORKERS AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEJ-JustTransition-PP-Aug2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }