Just Transition

If you don't know what this two word policy of the present and foreseeable future is about, you will soon. With "once in a century" storms happening every decade or less, with the insurmountable amount of scientific evidence growing every day, with banks around the world refusing to finance new fossil fuel infrastructure, the writing is on the wall. Humanity must break the carbon energy addiction, and fast.

Despite the status quo/denial gameplan from political parties on the right, the reality is already taking place on the ground. It was the Harper government that was first to legislate an end to coal-fired electricity generation in Canada. The Alberta NDP government accelerated the timelines as part of their Climate Leadership Plan. Generating Utilities sped things up even more. In their business models coal is over ASAP, not 2030.

Four provinces in Canada use coal-fired electricity. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The only one to start a Just Transition program is Alberta. In 2013, 52% of Alberta's electricity was coal-fired. By perhaps 2022, it will be zero. Complete towns are at stake. No plant, no miners. No miners, no community, no municipal taxbase. The other motivator is automation of carbon energy jobs which will only accelerate.

Few other places on earth have started this process, none without problems despite best laid plans. There are no case histories. It involves Ministries and Departments from multiple governments. Blue Green Canada hosted the 3rd Annual Just Transition conference in Edmonton on October 23, 2018 involving everyone affected, involved and interested. The View Up Here reports on it.

http://bluegreencanada.ca/

https://www.nextalberta.org/

Just Transition - How Do You Change A Way Of Life For Towns, Nations & The World

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