Bill Colquhoun - World Sustainability Collective Founder - FRSA’s Post

Changing a global energy system means communities will be impacted. Ensuring these impacts are just is essential. Social Impact Assessments are a vital part of the energy transition work we're driving in Regional Queensland and beyond. By weaving social considerations into the different stages of decision-making and planning, the SIA process promotes sustainable development while deepening connections with the community. Through a focus on key social, economic and cultural considerations, we ensure each project aligns with not only energy transition and decarbonization objectives, but also the long term needs and priorities of regional communities, addressing inequality, and protecting vulnerable groups. Considerations include: ▫ Local economic impact ▫ Community voice ▫ Indigenous communities ▫ Workforce engagement ▫ Housing and social services ▫ Local business and procurement ▫ Health and community well-being Our thorough, community-centered approach delivers results that benefit all stakeholders. With this approach, we’re not only advancing responsible business in energy projects, but also fostering lasting, positive impact. Discover how our SIA expertise can support your energy project’s success. Learn more > https://lnkd.in/g6yizD-S Sujay Malve Sarah Zeljko Clint O'Brien Sandra McCullagh Janette Hewson JASON ROULSTON Bronwyn Grieve Marie-Alice Small Lisa Harris Jacqueline Steel Jacqui Bridge Thomas Dockray Michael Dart - Chief Customer Officer and Board Director Karen Stafford Jason Hall Ashleigh Mansbridge Sandra Gamble Ben Curtis Baptiste Millet Scott Carnie Chandran Vigneswaran Dr Elizabeth Armstrong Nina Hitchins Wiktoria Babuszewska #socialimpact #socialimpactassessment #environmentalimpact #energytransition #esg #impact

Empowering Regional Communities 💪 Until regional Australia gets a genuine seat at the table, the nation’s pursuit of net zero emissions is under threat. The regions will help drive Australia’s decarbonisation agenda, but they need information, collaboration and investment to do that. Today the Regional Australia Institute released its latest research report, Towards Net Zero: Empowering Regional Communities. It’s found while there is general goodwill towards the transition across the regions, there is a huge thirst for more detail, a strong desire for cooperation and for the huge pipeline of renewable energy projects across the country to be the catalyst for long-term investment into key liveability measures like housing and childcare. The report recommends: ✅ The establishment of a Regional Prosperity Collective, involving government industry and community to drive legacy investment. ✅ The creation of a National Net Zero Framework to help measure progress. ✅ The development of an Energy Transition Hub to provide practical advice to regional communities. RAI CEO Liz Ritchie will talk about the report in more detail at tomorrow’s Regions Rising National Summit: The New Frontier. Access the full report 👇 https://lnkd.in/gESMxSpH The Towards Net Zero: Empowering Regional Communities report was funded by the Australian Government, in conjunction with the NSW, Queensland, South Australian and Western Australian Governments (Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts).

How do we empower citizens to drive a just energy transition? The energy transition is about people. Not new, glittery technologies. Citizens - as workers, families, and entire communities - are at the core of this transformation. But right now, too many are being left behind. Today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (#IDPD). A reminder that we MUST do better.* On Thursday, I will join the 16th Citizens’ Energy Forum in Budapest to discuss how citizens can take an active role in shaping the transition as community members, as consumers, as workers, and as participants in their energy future. This is particularly relevant for Central and Eastern Europe. What challenges do we face? - Vulnerable communities: Regions dependent on outdated technologies, such as fossil fuels, face economic decline without focused support.  - Inclusion issues: The energy sector struggles to attract women and young people, leaving large portions of society out of the transition.  - Skills gaps: Many workers are unprepared for green jobs, and training opportunities are not reaching those who need them. How can we empower citizens? I've drawn a mind map below, based on the many conversations I had on the Energ' Ethic Podcast such as the one with Tuscany Bell, Edina Vadovics (Edina Kaszap), or Cosimo Tansini, and insights from the FORESIGHT Climate & Energy article by Sarah McArthur linked below, it is clear that we need people-focused solutions: 1. Prioritise fairness and diversity: Create opportunities that include women, young people, and marginalised groups. 2. Engage communities: Include local voices in decision-making to ensure solutions address real needs. 3. Train students, (re)skill workers: Provide training that helps workers move into green industries and protects their livelihoods. 4. Back it with strong policies (and implement them): Support ambitious initiatives (perhaps a Just Transition Directive?) to guide this transformation. 5. Make parties accountable: when something goes wrong, make sure you listen and act on your errors. 6. Target funds and subsidies towards those who need it the most. A just energy transition depends on citizens. When consumers get empowered as citizens with rights, when workers have access to quality jobs, and when families feel included, the transition becomes fair, sustainable, and supported by society. Join me in Budapest at the 16th Citizens’ Energy Forum to explore how we can empower citizens and create a fair, inclusive energy future. Read the full article on FORESIGHT and share your thoughts: https://lnkd.in/d2ZwEA5Q * By the way, today is my birthday, and I recommit to building #Trust, prioritise #Ethics in the energy and climate transitions, and having very thought-provoking discussions on #JustResilience, #DigitalInclusion, ways to eradicate #EnergyPoverty, and build a #RightToEnergy. Do you? Let's join forces 😉

At SSE Energy Solutions, we strive to leave a positive impact on the communities in which we work. One of the ways that we do this is by challenging inequality through inclusive recruitment and inspiring low-carbon career education. Our Social Value team powers change by working with transition schemes and education centres across the UK to help educate and encourage young people to make the move into low carbon work. Becoming a trusted community partner through investing in local people is a key pillar in our strategy, as the impact we have on the local community is just as important as delivering net zero. See more about our key social value pillars below. #SSEEnergySolutions #DecarbonisingTransport #DecarbonisingHeat #DecarbonisingEnergy #DigitisingNetZero

This map is interesting to me because it shows that transition risk doesn't impact regions or companies only in the way people usually think. Most efforts to identify transition risk is connected to high emitting sectors on their own, without enough focus on sectors whose transition risk is inherited from the energy they use, the transportation they need and the waste management they depend on. Whether or not they have a voice in the energy transition around them, they will be impacted if it becomes more disruptive than expected. There is a benefit for companies, their banks and their investors to anticipating these risks and mitigating them by reducing their dependence on more transition-exposed inputs. This was a key insight baked in the Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Foundation C.I.C.'s financed emissions database. In a different context (the database is focused on banks in 11 OIC countries), it is trying to highlight overlooked transition risks including concentrations where banks have transition risk exposure even through financing of sectors that don't themselves have a high emissions footprint.

📢 No-one left behind: A whole of community approach to just transition. Our CEO, Sabiene Heindl joined the Power + Utilities Australia panel chaired by Kate Osaze from HAMR - Fuelling a Sustainable Future and Reswitch which included: 👉 Charles Thomas, National Farmers' Federation 👉 Renee Kurowski, AusNet 👉 Beth Brunoro, RACE for 2030 The discussion centred on: ➡ The importance of understanding the community in which you are operating ➡ The need to not only engage with but to also deliver meaningful benefits to communities ➡ The criticality of collaboration between community, government and industry to achieve outcomes. We are #BetterTogether! We showcased some of the Energy Charter #BetterTogether social licence initiatives and explored ways in which we can all lean into ensuring that nobody is left behind in the energy transition. For more about our social licence initiatives: https://lnkd.in/gVaT-bq5 #sociallicence #community #outcomes #sharedvalue #impact 

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) consumers often experience additional barriers that prevent them from taking part in the energy transition and engaging with the energy market. So, how can we ensure an equitable energy transition - one that effectively serves and represents CALD communities' needs and perspectives? 🧠 Catch up on key insights from our latest research, created in partnership with the Sydney Community Forum: https://loom.ly/Q_zUDT0 💬 And join the discussion this Friday, 19 April @ 1pm AEST by registering for our webinar: https://loom.ly/kuV3GD4 #CALD #EnergyConsumers #EnergyTransition #EnergyMarket #ConsumerResearch

📢 Policy Brief: The Role of National Governments in Fostering Energy Communities We're glad to share a valuable policy brief from the Sun4All project, highlighting the pivotal role national governments play in advancing energy communities. This brief delves into how these communities can be supported to reach their full potential for social cohesion. 📝 Key Highlights: Transposition Review: A comprehensive look at the #transposition process of the first-generation EU legislation on energy communities and its key aspects. New Provisions: An outline of the new provisions Member States need to adopt under the second-generation EU legislation on #energycommunities. Policy Recommendations: Concrete recommendations for national policymakers to enhance the development of energy communities and support their broader social objectives. This policy brief is part of a three-part series on energy communities and #energypoverty, offering insights from the Sun4All Project. Be sure to check out the recommendations for the municipal level and the EU level as well. 📖 Read the full policy brief and discover actionable insights for fostering energy communities in your region: https://lnkd.in/eE_Z3ViD #CE4EUIslands

In this week’s https://lnkd.in/e86xZHgH I argue that there are a small number of easy steps the new government can take to make a big difference in easing barriers and set community energy up for success. Community energy projects and initiatives go far beyond emissions reductions, they fundamentally transform communities, enhance social cohesion and improve local lives. They deserve to be at the heart of the net zero agenda. #CommunityEnergy

The announcement of $500 million for clean energy upgrades in social housing is a big win for working Australians. This investment will transform 50,000 homes, slashing power bills by $1,800 a year and making homes healthier with solar, efficient appliances, and better insulation. This is a clear step towards addressing inequality and creating a fairer, climate-safe future. Affordable, clean energy is essential to building resilient communities and ensuring no one is left behind in the move to net zero. This is the kind of targeted action we’ve been calling for—a win for workers, families, and the planet. 🌍 Let's keep pushing for solutions that centre workers in the fight against climate change.