Managing a just energy transition out of the Covid-19 crisis

Participating researchers

The research team was led by Professor Darren McCauley of the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB), supported by post-doc researcher Dr Iain Todd and MSc students Cas Bulder and Mary-Kate Burns.

The 10 prioritised recommendations for action

The interviews produced the following priority list of 10 recommendations for action to deliver a just energy transition in these two countries.

1. Governments must maintain and preferably increase substantially - investments in green technology
2. Governments should adapt tax regimes to place a higher priority on social justice, especially considering vulnerable groups
3. The energy demands of transport and heating must be reduced, involving communities and municipalities
4. Industry must also invest in the just energy transition
5. New re-skilling and training mechanisms are needed for all workers under transition
6. Investments in hydrogen and offshore wind are urgently needed
7. Targeted support is needed for employees in the vulnerable groups
8. Financial compensation (for transition) must be equitable, not restricted to fossil fuel workers
9. There should be new national (and local) communication campaigns on long-term behavioural change
10. Employers should facilitate home working with wellbeing initiatives

Differences between the two countries

The Netherlands and the UK are economically, politically, and socially similar. But some differences were noted. The priorities of the two countries seem to imply that the Netherlands is more aligned to the third sector views, and the UK to industry views. Or perhaps those are simply national stereotypes?

Dutch interviewees made more political observations – including a growing populism - than their UK counterparts. They considered their government to be more decentralised. They commented much more on both transport and heating issues. And had a widespread concern for the young in society. A further difference of industrial significance is the greater ease of Dutch connections into trans-European energy networks.

For the UK, the effect of Brexit was noted as an obvious issue, although not commented upon as extensively as might have been expected. It was variously noted that the UK would be isolated from EU strategic consideration, EU resources, and no longer party to EU energy targets. There were many more comments on the need for better government communications.  And on the need to invest in hydrogen as a low-carbon fuel source.

Implications for the developing world

Most observations on this question described the developing world as suffering at the forefront of climate change. Efforts needed to accelerate. On Covid-19, the impact of the virus was considered greater in the southern hemisphere, making existing problems such as hunger worse. There was an absence of robust healthcare systems. Only one interviewee – from the Dutch government – commented that a recession in the developed world would lead to significant loss of income for the developing world, and this would only increase existing inequalities