Work

An improbable driver of “just transitions”? Union power in the coal heartland of Western Australia‘s energy shift

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Much scholarship in the nascent field of climate crisis and labour assumes that trade unions can readily become agents of “just transition” to post‑carbon energy systems but simply lack a willingness to do so. We investigate this problem more deeply by asking: under what precise circumstances might unions drive “just transitions”? Drawing upon a case study of one union's effort to build a just transition in the energy generation sector of one fossil-fuel reliant region in Australia, we show that union leaders have seen themselves as agents of change, capable of driving internal change and deploying power resources for a just transition. This transition from a carbon energy system is, however, fragile because the shape of a post-transition region remains unclear and sits in the hands of capital and the state.

Source: Energy Research & Social Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103721

Authors: Caleb Goods, Bradon Ellem

Institutions: The University of Western Australia, The University of Sydney

Language: English

Topic: Sustainable Development and Policies

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action, Decent work and economic growth, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,300