In 2021, renewable energy experienced record growth, continuing an upward trend on a global scale as countries try to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Workers and communities dependent on fossil fuels, however, are grappling with how to smoothly transition to new economic opportunities.

James Rising, assistant professor in the University of Delaware’s School of Marine Science and Policy, co-authored a report on Just Transitions from Resources for the Future (RFF) and the Environmental Defense Fund’s series on European regions that have experienced, or are experiencing, energy transitions. 

Rising and fellow scholars analyzed the policies that support workers and communities reliant on the coal mining industry in the United Kingdom (UK). As the coal industry in the UK shrank, communities in and around coalfields experienced a dramatic rise in poverty, and yet the government did not deploy specific transition policies to support these regions until 15 years after the first closures.

“Much of the UK’s fragmented response to coal communities in need was too little, too late,” said Rising. “This case study underscores why it’s so critical for policymakers to create strong tools and provide resources far in advance of plant and mine closures that can address an array of transition challenges.”

Based on their analysis, the authors established key lessons from the UK’s transition efforts that could be applied to U.S. policy that includes:

●      Offer workforce development that empowers workers; 

●      Provide long-term and tailored support for businesses;

●      Invest in remediation and infrastructure;

●      Ensure that funding matches the scale of the challenge; and

●      Begin comprehensive, proactive planning for regions. 

The full report, Regional Just Transitions in the UK: Insights from 40 Years of Policy Experiences, is available on the RFF website.

In addition to Rising, co-authors include Marion Dumas, assistant professorial research fellow at the Grantham Research Institute; Sophie Dicker, policy analyst at the Grantham Research Institute; Dan Propp, former RFF intern; Molly Robertson, RFF senior research analyst; and Wesley Look, RFF senior research associate.