Just coal transition in some countries in the world and suggestions for Vietnam
Abstract
Just energy transition is a shift from fossil energy to clean, low-carbon energy without causing negative impacts on society, people's jobs and livelihoods. This is a global trend, especially in the context of countries' commitments to achieving net zero emissions by the middle of the 21st century. At the COP26 Summit in 2021, the Group of Seven (G7) and the European Union (EU) launched the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Initiative to support the energy transition of developing countries with a high share of coal-fired power generation. In the context of increasingly limited climate finance due to global economic difficulties, the JETP is one of the solutions to help developing countries access the necessary resources to effectively build and implement low-carbon development pathways that are resilient to climate change. After the negotiation process, the Political Declaration on Establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP Declaration) was adopted by Vietnam and the International Partners Group (IPG) on 14th December 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. International partners participating in the JETP with Vietnam include the European Union, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Denmark, and Norway. As the third country after Indonesia and South Africa to sign the JETP, Vietnam is the first country to announce a Resource Mobilization Plan to implement the JETP. This is considered a crucial and essential step to unlock financial resources from JETP and transform them into breakthrough projects, strongly promoting Vietnam's just energy transition. This proves that Vietnam is ready and will create the best conditions to receive resources to implement a just energy transition. However, for developing countries like Vietnam, this transition not only faces financial and technological difficulties but also requires major institutional and policy changes. This article focuses on analysing the experience of just coal transition in countries like Indonesia, South Africa, and India, on that basis, draws some suggestions for Vietnam.
