The challenge: A clean energy transition is urgently needed to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the worsening climate crisis. However, if not done equitably, this transition could deepen existing inequalities and create new injustices – especially for the communities in the Global South. The wealthiest countries, historically responsible for the majority of the emissions, must rapidly reduce their CO2 emissions and shift investments and subsidies from fossil fuels to green alternatives. However, polluting countries are increasingly turning to land- and resource intensive solutions like carbon offsets, large-scale biofuels, and critical mineral extraction in lower income countries to meet their net-zero targets. These approaches risk violating Indigenous land rights, worsening desertification, threatening biodiversity, and undermining food production and water rights of local communities in Global South countries. For example, 54% of critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies are located near Indigenous lands, putting communities at risk of land grabs, water depletion, toxic pollution and biodiversity loss linked to mining. At the same time, fossil fuel companies – primarily based in the Global North – are continuing to expand operations while countries in the Global South are under increasing pressure to phase out fossil fuels without adequate finance or support for transition.
Our solution: Our climate justice programming aims to ensure a Just Energy Transition (JET) that is equitable, rights-based, and inclusive, which upholds justice and respects communities’ rights while ensuring an equitable distribution of costs and benefits of the transition. We envision a future where energy systems are decarbonized, democratized – anchored in justice, equity, gender equality and human rights.
Just like through the global push to Make Polluters Pay and supporting activists like Pavel from Peru. The Peruvian Amazon has been exploited for rubber, wood, oil, gas, gold and now for critical minerals needed for the energy transition as well. Those that are paying the price for energy demand in the global north are people from communities in the Amazon. Therefore we support activists like Pavel to stand up for their rights, while making sure that the polluters pay for the just energy transition.
The energy transition demands a huge flow of public finance away from fossil fuels, towards the expansion of clean energy systems around the world. Multilateral development banks have the opportunity – and the mandate – to ensure that all investments in renewable energy are held to the highest standards for human rights, social impacts and environmental integrity, with robust and accountable safeguards and full consultation with affected communities. The Banking on Renewables campaign, led by Recourse with the support of over 50 organisations worldwide, calls on MDBs to bank on renewables that truly power people and protect the planet. The campaign has been localised by some supporting organisations, for example Trend Asia in Indonesia, and has influenced other regional campaigns, such as Watts Up Africa.
While in 2024, Recourse and partners presented the UN Secretary General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals with a booklet of testimonies from communities on the frontlines of mineral extraction and processing. Having their voices heard by global policymakers contributed to the development of a strong set of principles for approaching transition minerals.