INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND CLIMATE CHANGE GOVERNANCE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE ORIGINS, DRIVERS, IMPLICATIONS, AND POTENTIAL OF THE JUST ENERGY TRANSITION PARTNERSHIP AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN SOUTH AFRICA AND INDONESIA

Abstract

Human-caused climate change is arguably the most significant threat and long term challenge of our time. Past attempts at global governance to address the problem are insufficient. While the initial adverse effects of a rapidly changing climate emerge, new methods and mechanisms are urgently needed to make progress toward Paris Agreement temperature goals by decarbonizing the global economy and dramatically reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) model seeks to achieve these crucial reductions by accelerating transition away from coal to clean renewables. This thesis examines the nascent JETP model as a new form of climate governance by reviewing its origins, drivers, implications, and potential. It reviews the growing emissions divergence between developed and developing countries which contributed to the need for a JETP-like solution. And it examines various embedded notions of justice which are at the heart of the model. The paper argues that the JETP is a qualitatively different form of climate governance due to its ‘intermediate level’ approach to a climate solution and its ‘country platform’ implementation characteristics. The study suggests that the relatively fast take-up of JETPs by developing countries is a function of avoiding much of the contentiousness of large international climate negotiations and agreements and putting recipient countries at the center of transition planning. Finally, the model as it has emerged to date resembles a ‘climate club’ allowing climate coalitions of the willing to assemble quickly in a flexible framework. This allows each JETP to be fit for purpose to address varying country contexts greatly improving its likelihood to succeed in its goal to decarbonize the global economy.