Pathways to an Equitable and Just Energy Transition Principles, Best Practices, and Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement: Proceedings of a Workshop (2023) / Chapter Skim
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5 Discussion of Pathways for the Energy Transition
5 Discussion of Pathways for the Energy Transition
Pages 28-36
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From page 28... ...
Groups were divided by general topic areas aligned with the sessions earlier in the day: public health and resilience, jobs and workforce, equitable access to decarbonization interventions, and energy affordability and burden. These sessions allowed for participants to dig deeper into topics raised in the prior presentations and panel discussions, as well as raise useful examples and case studies that could inform the committee's consensus recommendations (to release in mid-2023)
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From page 29... ...
Public Health, Safety, and Community Resilience Jonathan Patz, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Cynthia Harris, Environmental Law Institute; Leo Woodbury, Just Solutions Collective; McKenna Dunbar, Sierra Club; and Jenny Bradford, University of Wisconsin–Madison, summarized outcomes from their breakout group discussion focusing on public health, safety, and community resilience. Many participants stressed the need to replace siloed approaches to health and energy with a broader, coalition-based approach in which groups share power, funding, and expertise.
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From page 30... ...
From the perspective of workforce development, participants stressed the need for retraining to create opportunities for long-term career transitions; a commitment to fostering diversity; and improved worker support and protections, including through unionization, wage and work standards, unemployment insurance, and strong retirement and relocation packages. To inform efforts to accomplish this, participants suggested a need for a central, cohesive entity to house and share best practices and existing tools; grassroots-led local and regional entities to bridge legislative gaps and create connected, broad-based coalitions; and structured and meaningful stakeholder engagement, input, and shared decision-making processes that incorporate stakeholder feedback, including a focus on renters and disadvantaged, fenceline, and Indigenous communities.
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From page 31... ...
For example, Beckfield said, "When you're carrying a heavy load in your life already, you can't focus on doing an EV loan. This is very insightful, I think, and goes to the point that oftentimes community members don't have really the capacity to be aware of how they might benefit from different programs, or they may face very different kinds of barriers." Solving real problems requires embracing the ups and downs of trial-and-error, helping community organizations build capacity, creating financial innovations and targeted needs-based programs that avoid stigma, and helping with new technology maintenance.
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From page 32... ...
As part of this, participants suggested utilities should strive for more authentic engagement with communities and customers and better communication with customers about usage and assistance. The group also identified key data needs, including more refined air quality and location data, better measurements for a household's true energy burden, and a better understanding of how much energy people would consume in a more just world.
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From page 33... ...
Most nations must simultaneously address climate change and social issues, but this requires deep conversation and cooperation -- not only technical solutions. However, Shahyd suggested that the current political climate in the United States makes this level of cooperation nearly impossible.
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From page 34... ...
"Let's show these examples in Native country so we can be a good example for the rest of the United States to follow." Nock agreed that Indigenous regulatory structures are very different and pointed out that communities and structures across the United States also vary widely. In addition, different communities and people of color are not a monolith, and people experience a wide range of energy and affordability challenges.
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From page 35... ...
Finally, a critical theme underlying the whole workshop was the need for authentic stakeholder and community engagement, including in-person community visits to understand lived experiences and help community organizations build capacity, overcome barriers, and access resources. "There is no justice unless people have a say," said Pacala.
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