October 2024 Newsletter Recap: Just Energy Transition

Did you miss the Climatelinks October newsletter? We’ve got you covered. Please find a recap of the October ‘Just Energy Transition’ theme below. You won’t want to miss this short list of top resources and blogs from the month. Subscribe to our newsletter today. Do you want to contribute to the Climatelinks community? Send us a resource, blog, or event.

Inclusive, gender-equitable, and participatory decision making are essential for a just energy transition. This includes assisting people, industries, employees, and countries to foster a just transition to climate-resilient livelihoods and employment. USAID programs and initiatives are helping the global economy transition to become low-carbon and resilient while producing positive environmental, social, and economic outcomes.

Fresh Blog Posts

Advancing Equity for Women and Underrepresented Groups in Energy and Transportation

When women are incorporated into transportation planning, systems are often safer, more affordable, and more efficient, with better routes and greater workforce opportunities. Similarly, when a diverse range of affected community members can give input on energy projects, outcomes improve and are more sustainable. The USAID-National Renewable Energy Laboratory Partnership recognizes this and is working to increase gender integration and participation from underrepresented groups.

Filling the Gap: A Framework for Ensuring a Just Energy Transition for Coal Communities

To date, just transition practices have often come from isolated, grassroots initiatives with limited guidance from past efforts, such as “best practice” resources or frameworks for success. A new resource from USAID, Arizona State University, and the United States Energy Association attempts to fill this gap by outlining key principles of a just transition and best practices to enhance outcomes of investments in decarbonization, specifically for coal workers and communities.

Editor’s Pick: Just Energy Transition Blogs

Advancing a just transition to a low-carbon economy is an important aspect of USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy. This roundup highlights blogs that showcase how USAID is catalyzing a just energy transition by supporting inclusive workplace policies, reducing air pollution, and more. 

New Resources

Just Energy Transition for Coal Communities: An Actionable Community-Based Framework

As decarbonization accelerates, this report seeks to lay out some guidance and best practices for facilitating a just energy transition, specifically for coal workers and communities. The action-based just transition framework consists of three stages: making the transition decision, identifying and engaging all stakeholders and planning the transition, and executing the transition and offering assistance during and after coal is phased out.

Just and Sustainable Mobility Transition in the Transport Sector: A Conceptual Framework and Gender Mainstreaming Case Studies

The rapid global shift towards low-carbon transport creates the opportunity to reimagine the world’s transport systems through a holistic and sustainable approach, shifting to low- and zero-carbon modes and offering wider access. This report from the USAID-National Renewable Energy Laboratory Partnership proposes a conceptual framework that may, in the long term, enable just and sustainable mobility transitions in the transport sector.

Tanzania Sustainable Landscapes Opportunity Analysis: Desk Review

This Sustainable Landscapes Opportunity Analysis, commissioned by USAID, provides an overview of options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land-based conservation, management, and restoration in Tanzania. Based on a review of peer-reviewed literature, articles, and reports, this analysis identifies several land-based climate mitigation options with the potential to mitigate the effects of climate change while providing benefits for people and nature.

Nature-Based Solutions for Agricultural Resilience Factsheet

Under the Nature-Based Solutions for Agricultural Resilience Window, the USAID Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA) will partner with the private sector to pilot or scale innovative models for financing both sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation in the countries where USAID works. CFDA anticipates issuing three or more grant awards at $500,000 each.

Climate Risk Management Spotlight

Evaluation of Climate Risk Management at USAID

This report presents results from the performance evaluation of climate risk management (CRM) at USAID. The evaluation employed a mixed-methods approach including a document review, an online survey of USAID staff, key informant interviews with USAID staff and implementing partners, group interviews with activity beneficiaries, and four country case studies. The evaluation found that CRM integration into the program cycle should be viewed as a longer-term process of institutional change.

Call for Content

Share your events and resources or write a blog related to an upcoming monthly theme! Check out our upcoming themes to see if your climate work aligns:

• November: COP29—we’re especially looking for implementation stories about USAID initiatives announced at previous COPs!
• 2024 Cross-cutting Themes: Systems Change and Locally Led Development

If your USAID-related climate change work relates to these themes, Climatelinks would love to feature your work and share your resources. Send us a resource or blog.