Pathways to Widespread Societal Support for Renewables: Finding the “Just” in Just Energy Transition Partnerships (REN21, University of Graz)

Cultivating societal support is central to accelerating the transition to renewable energy, a necessary shift to mitigate climate change impacts and increase collective resilience. This requires the intentional involvement of civil society, industry associations, and political leaders. However, building the necessary societal support for renewable energy in the context of a just transition remains a challenge.

Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) can be a powerful tool to foster stakeholders’ engagement in the energy transition and, as a result, help build societal support for renewables. This session will delve into the significance of Just Energy Transition Partnerships in building widespread societal support for renewables. It will discuss key elements of national and international justice, engagement in decarbonisation and energy transitions and energy democracy.

Ensuring broader support for the transition to renewables through JETPs requires practical solutions and making sure the “justice” component is present throughout all projects and planning processes. Bringing together multi-sectoral stakeholders is essential to account for the different priorities, share practices and identify effective outreach and advocacy mechanisms that foster societal backing of just transitions to renewables and their potential to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable society.