Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South Africa
ABSTRACTIn striving to achieve the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda, governments have the opportunity to implement their climate and sustainability goals more coherently. Such coherence requires the coordination of interdependent policies across different policy fields, sectors and actors. This p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/1943815X.2022.2108459 |
| _version_ | 1828167815446659072 |
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| author | Ramona Hägele Gabriela I. Iacobuţă James Tops |
| author_facet | Ramona Hägele Gabriela I. Iacobuţă James Tops |
| author_sort | Ramona Hägele |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACTIn striving to achieve the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda, governments have the opportunity to implement their climate and sustainability goals more coherently. Such coherence requires the coordination of interdependent policies across different policy fields, sectors and actors. This paper explores how governments design and implement synergic solutions to concomitantly achieve both international agendas. With the empirical cases of Germany and South Africa, we investigate two independent approaches to the synergic solution of a just energy transition, whereby countries aim to phase out coal as a means to tackle climate change while also ensuring that the achievement of other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is not hindered. Methodologically, we apply a deductive qualitative approach consisting of literature review, semi-structured interviews, and content analysis. To that end, we examine relevant policies and institutional arrangements by applying a combined conceptual framework of energy justice and just transition in both countries. We find major challenges in overcoming environmental, economic and social burdens of the coal phase-out, especially related to jobs and inequality (SDGs 8, 10) and the Water-Energy-Food-Land nexus (SDGs 2, 6, 7, 15). Through the selection of Germany and South Africa, we illustrate how countries with different political, social and economic backgrounds strive to manage such a transition. Our developed framework and case-studies’ findings point towards important considerations when designing just energy transition pathways, such as ensuring inclusiveness in decision-making, thoroughly assessing social, economic and environmental impacts, and adequately coordinating across different actors and the local, provincial and national levels. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:23:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aeaa995f7a8b4c5797708f149bbbeeef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1943-815X 1943-8168 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:23:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-aeaa995f7a8b4c5797708f149bbbeeef2022-12-22T03:52:03ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Integrative Environmental Sciences1943-815X1943-81682022-12-011918512010.1080/1943815X.2022.2108459Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South AfricaRamona Hägele0Gabriela I. Iacobuţă1James Tops2Environmental Governance and Tranformation to Sustainability, German Institute for Development and Sustainability (IDOS), University of Bonn, Bonn, GermanyGerman Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)Tourism Policy and Analysis Unit, Junior Policy Analyst at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and CitiesABSTRACTIn striving to achieve the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda, governments have the opportunity to implement their climate and sustainability goals more coherently. Such coherence requires the coordination of interdependent policies across different policy fields, sectors and actors. This paper explores how governments design and implement synergic solutions to concomitantly achieve both international agendas. With the empirical cases of Germany and South Africa, we investigate two independent approaches to the synergic solution of a just energy transition, whereby countries aim to phase out coal as a means to tackle climate change while also ensuring that the achievement of other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is not hindered. Methodologically, we apply a deductive qualitative approach consisting of literature review, semi-structured interviews, and content analysis. To that end, we examine relevant policies and institutional arrangements by applying a combined conceptual framework of energy justice and just transition in both countries. We find major challenges in overcoming environmental, economic and social burdens of the coal phase-out, especially related to jobs and inequality (SDGs 8, 10) and the Water-Energy-Food-Land nexus (SDGs 2, 6, 7, 15). Through the selection of Germany and South Africa, we illustrate how countries with different political, social and economic backgrounds strive to manage such a transition. Our developed framework and case-studies’ findings point towards important considerations when designing just energy transition pathways, such as ensuring inclusiveness in decision-making, thoroughly assessing social, economic and environmental impacts, and adequately coordinating across different actors and the local, provincial and national levels.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/1943815X.2022.2108459Just transitionenergy justiceSDGsclimate changecoal phase-out |
| spellingShingle | Ramona Hägele Gabriela I. Iacobuţă James Tops Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South Africa Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences Just transition energy justice SDGs climate change coal phase-out |
| title | Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South Africa |
| title_full | Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South Africa |
| title_short | Addressing climate goals and the SDGs through a just energy transition? Empirical evidence from Germany and South Africa |
| title_sort | addressing climate goals and the sdgs through a just energy transition empirical evidence from germany and south africa |
| topic | Just transition energy justice SDGs climate change coal phase-out |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/1943815X.2022.2108459 |
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