31October
2024
Unpacking Just Transition: Conception, Civil Society, and Governance in Tunisia’s Energy Pathway

The discussion will be held in both Arabic and English, with interpretation available on Zoom only.

You can register to attend by following this link. You will receive a Zoom confirmation email should your registration be successful. Alternatively, you can watch the event live here on our Facebook page.

Globally, the concept of just transition is gaining significant traction across policy arenas. Climate governance frameworks increasingly recognize that a just transition is integral to achieving the Paris Agreement’s objectives. However, key challenges remain, including financial constraints and the need for enhanced capacity building. To advance just transition pathways, there is a pressing need for increased knowledge sharing, as well as regional and multilateral coordination. Consequently, integrating just transition into national climate strategies and exploring actionable pathways has become a critical priority.

In Tunisia, the energy transition is entering a pivotal phase. Historically reliant on fossil fuels, particularly gas imports from Algeria, Tunisia has committed to increasing its renewable energy share to 35 percent by 2030. With renewables currently contributing to only 3 percent of the energy mix, both the Tunisian government and international stakeholders have aligned efforts to expand renewable energy projects, with large-scale initiatives and green hydrogen developments at the forefront, driven by export-focused policies. Tunisia’s ambition to become a “green growth engine” hinges on substantial private sector participation. However, these pathways, often presented as "win-win" solutions, have frequently overlooked concerns raised by civil society, trade unions, activists, and scholars. The top-down nature of these initiatives has excluded marginalized groups and communities from the process of designing and implementing their own just transition strategies. In response, there is an increasing call for just transition pathways that promote energy justice, democratic participation, and community ownership through decentralized solutions.

Objectives

  • Provide an understanding of energy transition in Tunisia and its existing governance system.
  • Provide a platform for diverse voices to discuss just transition pathways in Tunisia.
  • Explore different conceptions and definitions of a just energy transition.
  • Discuss the role of civil society and governance in Tunisia’s energy transition.
  • Discuss and analyze ongoing EU projects of energy transition in Tunisia, including winners and losers of such projects.
  • Consult with CSOs, activists, scholars, journalists, and union representatives on existing energy transition projects and their main sources of funding.
  • Discuss channels and forms through which civil society would like to be consulted, including actors they would like to engage with.
  • Address resources needed for CSOs’ better engagement in energy policy and projects, including their role as watchdogs for green hydrogen.
  • Provide policy recommendations on what is a fair and just transition in Tunisia and analyze who benefits from the energy transition
  • Propose a good governance model for energy transition that can be advocated to policymakers at the national and international level

Expected outcomes

  • Develop actionable policy recommendations for a just transition in Tunisia.
  • Produce a paper summarizing the roundtable discussions and recommendations.

Target groups and participants

  • Policymakers from relevant government ministries and MPs (If possible).
  • Representatives from civil society organizations and trade unions.
  • Industry experts and private sector representatives.
  • Academics and researchers with expertise in energy transition and governance.
  • Representatives from marginalized communities and local activists.