Navigating a just energy transition from coal in the Colombian Caribbean

Abstract

The findings reported in this paper provide insights into the power dynamics and distributional politics that shape resistance to phasing out coal and to opportunities for change, as part of a broader project comparing these lessons and experiences in Colombia, South Africa and Indonesia, aiming to understand challenges to a just energy transition in coal-producing countries in the Global South. The current Colombian government has helped centre the concept of a just energy transition in public debate, encompassing a broad range of questions and concerns. National, regional and local discussions have different frameworks and visions for a future beyond fossil fuels, particularly regarding coal, which is a major export commodity but not a major fuel for domestic use in Colombia. For thermal coal–producing regions in Colombia, this debate touches on the challenges of both the legacy of extractive activities and the repercussions of losing a significant industrial sector, affecting local and regional economies and communities. Drawing on a series of workshops, a literature review, and interviews around transitions from coal in the Colombian departments of Cesar and La Guajira, researchers identified different visions of a just energy transition put forward at the national and regional levels, as well as some of the interests and strategies leveraged by different actors and groups in pushing certain visions of such a transition. In addition to presenting these results, the authors of this report provide insights into the power dynamics that shape resistance to phasing out coal and opportunities for transitions to more sustainable futures, with a strong emphasis on the efforts of civil society to create and achieve their visions of transition.