Page 31 - Presbyterian Connection

Connection
Time for a Just Transition
presbyterian.ca
SUMMER 2023
By Katharine Sisk, Justice Ministries
At the launch of the most recent Synthesis Report of the Inter- governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), UN Sectary-Gen- eral António Guterres said, “We have never been better equipped to solve the climate challenge, but we must move into warp speed climate action now. We don’t have a moment to lose.”
No matter how we parse ques- tions of which actions are needed and who should provide leadership for these changes (government? industry? communities?), the science is clear that urgent social and economic change is required now to avoid catastrophic climate change.
There is global consensus about what is driving the crisis and the threshold for mitigating the worst impacts (keep warming under 1.5°C). Where governments, in- dustries and communities diverge are deciding on, and implement- ing, the pathways and timelines for reducing consumption of fos- sil fuels. In place of binding in- ternational agreements to reduce emissions, there are non-binding agreements with government- determined emission targets. Most countries—Canada among them—are not meeting even these targets. Voluntary regimes have failed to turn the tide thus far and, as Guterres notes, procrastination time has run out.
Our present society and econ- omy are reliant on levels of fossil fuel consumption that are both unsustainable and drive our cli- mate crisis. We need to transition to a low-carbon, more sustain- able economy accompanied by sustainable societal practices and norms. How do we do that? And how do we do that justly when our societies are not structured for equality? This is where calls for “a just transition” come in.
What is a just transition and what does it look
like in practice?
A “just transition” is a process of economic and societal changes that moves society away from fossil fuel consumption, while supporting the needs of people whose livelihoods are affected by those changes. That means those in the fossil fuel industry, for ex- ample—but also those most vul-
nerable to climate damage.
We have examples we can learn from in Canada and in other coun- tries where just transition plans have been used. Canada, for in- stance, plans to phase out coal- fired electricity generation by 2030 (in line with international com- mitments) and implement a Just Transition Program for affected communities and workers. This impacts several thousand work- ers and their families in four prov- inces (Alber ta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan). A federal task force was struck to consult with stakeholders to as- sess needs and make recommen- dations to the government about the phase-out process, including organizing alternative employment options, retraining and social ben- efits for affected regions. Unsur- prisingly, there were options that worked but also limitations and challenges with the process. What is critical to a just transition is the consistent application of guiding principles that are clear, transpar- ent, rights-based, collaborative and accountable, along with flexi- ble processes that can adapt to the unique needs of different groups and communities. (If you are inter- ested in learning more, check out Justice Ministries’ webinar “Mak-
ing the Just Transition” at youtu. be/3kl9JCgGOLE.)
What does an emphasis on justice mean?
A just transition builds in oppor- tunities to transform ingrained, society- and system-wide in- equalities. It cannot mean justice for some people—it must mean justice for all people. The impacts of climate change fall most heav- ily on those already made vul- nerable by systemic injustices, especially impacting Indigenous, Black and poor communities. A recent study reports that climate change will exacerbate “the health and socio-economic inequities already experienced by First Na- tions, Inuit, and Métis peoples, in- cluding respiratory, cardiovascu- lar, water- and foodborne, chronic and infectious diseases, as well as financial hardship and food insecurity” (Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate (2022) changingclimate.ca). If systemic injustice has already compro- mised the health and well-being of entire groups of people, how much more difficult is it to survive and recover from exposure to cli- mate-induced disasters? Even as this article was written (mid-May 2023), thousands of people in
Alberta, including four thousand Indigenous people, have been evacuated and Alberta had de- clared a State of Emergency due to wildfires—a situation that will only worsen as the climate con- tinues to warm.
Many of the just transition processes that have been tried, whether in Canada or elsewhere, are at a fraction of the scale neces- sary to address the climate crisis. There are, for example, hundreds of thousands of people in Canada still employed directly in the fos- sil fuel industry or in supporting industries. There are experiences we can learn from, but the longer we wait to enact just transition processes, the greater the toll the climate crisis will take, both on creation (including people) and on the economy. The Stern Review, published in 2006, was a landmark investigation of the economic cost of climate change and conclusive- ly found that “the benefits of strong and early action far outweigh the economic costs of not acting” (Stern Review, Summary of Con- clusions, vi). Almost two decades later, this remains true.
Who will lead?
The question of who should take global leadership to reduce
emissions is in deadlock between countries that are responsible for the most emissions cumulatively over time (since the 1700s) and countries whose emissions have historically been lower but are ballooning in response to contem- porary industrial development and population growth (ourworldindata. org/contributed-most-global-co2). WhenIlookatmyson,now4,I wonder what the generation of his children will make of that dead- lock, and what they will think of us, today. What legacy do we want to leave them? We are not power- less. Collectively, we can work to make the changes needed.
What you can do:
• Write to federal officials ex- pressing your support for prioritizing just transition pol- icies. Letter templates are at presbyterian.ca/resources/ advocacy
• Connect with local sustain- able city/community move- ments and learn about their work and priorities. How can you support them?
• Within your own community groups and networks, be an advocate for fostering behav- iours and policies that reduce fossil fuel consumption.
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