Just transition in coal mining regions in Indonesia and South Africa

The transition away from coal presents both pressing challenges and transformative opportunities for countries that depend on coal for energy and employment. In coal-dependent economies such as Indonesia and South Africa, achieving a just energy transition means not only reducing emissions but also safeguarding livelihoods, promoting social inclusion, decent jobs, and sustainable enterprises, and creating new pathways for sustainable development.

Recognising the need for a dialogue explore pathways to a just energy transition, the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) in collaboration with the Presidential Climate Commission, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment of South Africa, Ministries of National Development Planning and the Ministry of Finance in Indonesia is facilitating a virtual policy dialogue series to bring together policymakers and practitioners from South Africa, Indonesia and other G20 countries during South Africa’s G20 presidency.

The series will kick off on Thursday, 3 July, with a G20 side event co-organized with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Through the dialogue series, participants will have the opportunity to learn and discuss how coal-dependent economies like Indonesia and South Africa are working to reduce emissions while also protecting livelihoods, fostering social inclusion, creating decent jobs, and promoting sustainable enterprises.

The five dialogues will take place each first Thursday of the month at 9 AM Johannesburg time, 14 PM Jakarta time. All dialogues have a duration of 90 minutes.

This dialogue series builds on ILO work under the PAGE, supporting the Government of South Africa in advancing the Just Energy Transition. It also builds on work done by the ILO in Indonesia in the framework of the “Innovation Regions for a Just Energy Transition (IKI-JET)” project. This project supports Indonesia by accelerating just energy transitions (JET) away from coal to renewable energy and other sustainable economic activities with a focus in the regional level.