Summary

This panel event will explore the options that decision-makers at sub-national level have for effectively managing the challenges raised by the loss of jobs in fossil fuel extraction industries as a result of the low-carbon transition. It is recognized that the prospect of these job losses can generate strong opposition against efforts to accelerate the transition to low-carbon economic growth and development. However, such opposition can be overcome by policies to manage the transition so that redundant labor forces are re-deployed or helped in other ways. Panel members, drawn from the Just Transition Research Coalition, will discuss the latest findings about what can be learned from past economic transitions in energy and other sectors, and insights into the challenges facing sub-national decision-makers who are engaging with labor forces in the oil, gas, and coal industries across the world.