Just Transition

“Just Transition” is making headlines again in Alberta with the Provincial government pushing back against the yet to be tabled just transition legislation the Federal government first promised in 2019. Part of the debate is political, but underneath is the reality of the energy transition and the impact it will have on Alberta communities.

How do we separate the politics from the policies when it comes to transition? What can we learn from coal communities that have already started to undergo similar transitions? What have policy makers gotten right? Wrong? And what does this mean for the Provincial and Federal governments facing economic transition on an even larger scale in the province of Alberta?

Dig in with Sara, David, Ed and special guest Doray Veno, Executive Director of Lynks – Harvest Sky Services and Supports Society (https://www.lynkscommunity.com/?ref=energy-vs-climate) on Season 4, Episode 7 of Energy vs Climate

EPISODE NOTES

@1:13 Government of Canada Sustainable Job Plans (https://www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/training/initiatives/sustainable-jobs/plan.html)
@1:51 Why Alberta dislikes the term ‘Just transition’. (https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-just-transition/)
@3:40 Alberta coal phase-out and impacts on the Town of Hanna (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-coal-phase-out-devastating-hanna-1.3332584)
@4:30 “Hanna offers a clear example of how climate-change policies can impact a community in unexpected ways.” (https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/far-from-the-spotlight-small-town-alberta-suffers-in-upheaval-sweeping-energy-sector)
@8:00 Alberta government announces grant to help Hanna amid coal phase-out (https://globalnews.ca/news/3700956/alberta-ndp-government-announces-450k-grant-to-help-hanna-amid-coal-phase-out/)
@10:47 Fear of the Unknown: Coal Community Hanna still waiting for a phase-out plans (https://globalnews.ca/news/3066740/coal-community-hanna-still-waiting-for-a-phaseout-plan/)
@13:00 Solar project announced for Hanna (https://www.hannaherald.com/news/local-news/solar-project-announced-for-hanna)
@20:26 ‘Just Transition’ must serve people, communities and companies (https://cwf.ca/research/publications/op-ed-a-just-transition-must-serve-people-communities-and-companies/)
@28:03 Hanna seeing a rise in more entrepreneurship (https://calgaryjournal.ca/2017/01/31/alberta-small-town-is-using-their-history-to-survive-coal-crisis/)
@41:58 How can we transition to more sustainable industries in Canada, support workers and develop resilient communities? (https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/society-societe/community-communite/ifca-iac/evidence_briefs-donnees_probantes/earth_carrying_capacity-capacite_limite_terre/krawchenko-eng.aspx)
@50:23 Government of Canada – the dishonesty surrounding the consequences of Just Transition trade offs (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/premier-danielle-smith-just-transition-martin-olszynski-1.6716397)
@51:03 Canada needs its own bold industrial strategy – the US cannot keep carrying us. (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-canada-needs-its-own-bold-industrial-strategy-the-us-cannot-keep/)
@51:47 (https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/bidens-climate-agenda-has-problem-not-enough-workers-2023-01-11/)