Progressing the Transition Away From Fossil Fuels: Lessons from case studies

The report examines a diverse array of transition mechanisms, including Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs), national sectoral processes in countries like Germany and Chile, and first-mover alliances such as the Powering Past Coal Alliance. It highlights the necessity of national ownership, structured social dialogue, and blended finance to overcome political gridlock and ensure a just transition. The analysis reveals significant gaps in international support, particularly a shortfall in grants and concessional finance for Global South countries and a lack of coordinated global guidance for designing transition roadmaps.

• Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) in South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Senegal demonstrate that linking increased national ambition to coordinated international financial support illustrates the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR).
• JETPs have faced criticism for failing to mobilize sufficient grants and concessional finance, with significant gaps between initial pledges and the actual financial needs of host countries, especially for just transition measures.
• National sectoral processes in Germany, Canada, Chile, and Denmark show that deliberative governance and inclusive dialogue are essential to overcome 'political gridlock' caused by the concentrated costs of fossil fuel phase-outs on specific regions and workers.
• Effective national roadmaps, such as those emerging in Colombia, Brazil, and Türkiye, require a shift from treating the transition as a technical power sector target to addressing it as a foundational macroeconomic and political issue.
• Colombia's transition roadmap emphasizes the integration of Indigenous and local knowledge and the 'democratization of energy systems' to avoid replicating the extractive-era injustices of the fossil fuel industry.
• The Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T was criticized for opaque, submission-based consultations and a lack of transparency regarding how inputs were used, which undermined trust and procedural fairness.
• First-mover alliances like the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) and the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) lower political risk and legitimize early action through peer learning and differentiated expectations based on national capabilities.
• The EU's Methane Abatement Partnership Roadmap (MAPR) uses market access and trade regulation to influence energy-system decisions, serving as a risk-reduction step that builds regulatory capacity for a managed decline of fossil fuels.
• A critical gap in international support is the lack of coordinated global guidance and shared standards for designing transition away from fossil fuels (TAFF) roadmaps, leaving countries to develop their own methodologies.

APA

Parra, P. A. Y., Signorelli, G., Zanini, V., Jones, N., Herschmann, S., Angelo, C., Özenç, B., Scott, A., Picciariello, A., Gerasimchuk, I., Petersen, K., Ullah, F., Roberts, L., & Walker, B. (2026). Progressing the Transition Away From Fossil Fuels: Lessons from case studies. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/progressing-transition-fossil-fuels-case-studies.pdf

Chicago

Parra, Paola Andrea Yanguas, Giulia Signorelli, Valeria Zanini, Natalie Jones, Stela Herschmann, Claudio Angelo, Bengisu Özenç, et al. Progressing the Transition Away From Fossil Fuels: Lessons from case studies. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/progressing-transition-fossil-fuels-case-studies.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Parra |first1=Paola Andrea Yanguas |last2=Signorelli |first2=Giulia |last3=Zanini |first3=Valeria |last4=Jones |first4=Natalie |last5=Herschmann |first5=Stela |last6=Angelo |first6=Claudio |last7=Özenç |first7=Bengisu |last8=Scott |first8=Alexandra |last9=Picciariello |first9=Angela |display-authors=etal |title=Progressing the Transition Away From Fossil Fuels: Lessons from case studies |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/progressing-transition-fossil-fuels-case-studies.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{parra2026progressing, author = {Parra, Paola Andrea Yanguas and Signorelli, Giulia and Zanini, Valeria and Jones, Natalie and Herschmann, Stela and Angelo, Claudio and Özenç, Bengisu and Scott, Alexandra and Picciariello, Angela and Gerasimchuk, Ivetta and Petersen, Katrine and Ullah, Farooq and Roberts, Leo and Walker, Beth}, title = {{Progressing the Transition Away From Fossil Fuels: Lessons from case studies}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/progressing-transition-fossil-fuels-case-studies.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }