Search Climate Insights Directory

The document outlines a roadmap for Indonesia to transition to a low-carbon economy without leaving vulnerable workers and communities behind. It defines the dimensions of just transition—procedural, distributive, and restorative—and provides a set of principles and a planning checklist. The guide analyses Indonesia's current policy landscape, highlighting the dominance of the energy sector in transition discussions and the need for a more cross-sectoral approach. It also presents international case studies from Germany, Canada, Sweden, the USA, and Australia to illustrate different leadership models and outcomes. Key recommendations include establishing a national governing body, creating a centralised database of affected workers, and enhancing social dialogue to ensure inclusive decision-making.

The document details the response to the 2017 closure of the 1.6 GW coal-fired Hazelwood Power Station, which resulted in a net loss of approximately 500 jobs. It highlights a multi-sectoral approach involving federal and state funding, the creation of the Latrobe Valley Authority, and the innovative Latrobe Valley Worker Transfer Partnership Scheme, which redeployed younger workers to other power plants by offering early retirement to older employees. By November 2019, 74% of former Hazelwood employees were re-employed or retired.

The report analyzes the inevitable decline of Australia's coal sector, driven by the cost-competitiveness of renewables and falling global demand for thermal coal. It presents two domestic transition scenarios: a 'moderate' one compatible with Australia's NDC and a 'faster' one aligned with a 2-degree global goal. The document highlights the risks of sudden plant closures, using the Hazelwood power station as a case study to argue for more predictable, planned transitions and a 'just transition' framework to support affected regional communities and workers.

The document analyzes the 2017 closure of the Hazelwood Power Station in Victoria's Latrobe Valley, arguing that Australia's liberal market economy and majoritarian political institutions discourage long-term transition planning. It highlights how the closure was a commercial decision by Engie, which triggered reactive, large-scale assistance packages from both the Victorian and federal governments. The authors suggest that future 'just transitions' may require direct regulation of company obligations or the mobilization of institutional investors to pressure energy firms into adopting worker- and community-friendly closure policies.

The author, representing the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), highlights the vulnerability of Australian regions reliant on coal power, such as the Latrobe Valley. Using the closure of the Hazelwood power station as a case study, the text describes a novel negotiation process involving the Victorian government and multiple private power companies to manage redundancies and redeploy workers. The author advocates for a statutory agency to manage the long-term social impacts of the transition to net zero emissions, noting that worker support for climate action is contingent on fair deals for those displaced.