A Just Transition: Calls to action from coal communities

Stories for Action

We are hearing about a "just transition" a lot lately, though calls for it have been coming for decades. As the world is inevitably shifting away from fossil fuels to a more sustainable energy source, a just transition calls to make sure this shift is done as fair, or just, as possible, keeping in mind the impacts and benefits to people.

There are many layers of impact we must look at within this topic, and stories to hear from, but today’s episode will look at what a just transition means for American communities that have been economically and socially tied directly to the coal industry. The extraction of coal has not only directly employed and supported thousands of workers and their families, but it is often the economic driver for all sectors in an entire town or region. Tax revenues from coal mines and plants can support state wide services, such as schools and housing.

From Appalachia to Navajo Nation, and communities tied to the coal industry around the world, there are local leaders and communities taking action to create sustainable, equitable opportunities. Today we will hear stories from those on the ground level of this concept; we will speak with someone working with communities around the country with the Just Transition Fund, another one specifically in Appalachia with the Appalachian Citizens Law Center, and a current employee of a coal plant in Montana, and what he wants the public and policymakers to know about his community.

Just Transition Fund: More information & resources for coal communities: https://www.justtransitionfund.org and https://www.NationalEconomicTransition.org

More info and resources from Appalachian Citizens' Law Center: https://www.aclc.org

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