Jobs in renewable energy grew only modestly in 2024, reaching 16.6 million globally; this is signalling a slowdown in employment growth as the sector matures, according to a joint report by the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Labour Organization. Employment in renewables rose by just 2.3%, or around 400,000 new jobs—a sharp drop from the 2.5 million new jobs in 2023. This slowdown was driven by automation and economies of scale, which reduce labour needs per unit of capacity.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed new commissioners to the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) for a new five-year term from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030. Established in 2020, the PCC is an independent statutory multistakeholder body that advises government on climate action and just transition pathways, including conducting independent analysis of the impacts of climate change on jobs and the economy.

The UK and the African Development Bank have extended a USD 1 billion debt guarantee under South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership, preserving a USD 400 million municipal funding deal that would have lapsed at the end of 2025. South Africa negotiated with the African Development Bank over a guaranteed loan to reduce water and electricity losses and upgrade infrastructure in four municipalities in Mpumalanga, the country’s coal heartland.

Informal coal miners in Mpumalanga say they are being left out of South Africa’s just energy transition, despite the country’s Just Energy Transition Partnership. Faced with high unemployment, unsafe conditions, and limited alternatives, artisanal miners are arguing that transition plans overlook marginalised communities and calling for inclusion through formalisation, access to mineral wealth, and sustainable livelihoods beyond large-scale mining.

Indonesia’s state utility PLN has cancelled the planned early retirement of the Cirebon coal-fired power plant, citing a lack of economic viability. Early closure would have required around IDR 60 trillion (USD 4 billion) in continued loan repayments, plus roughly IDR 70 trillion (USD 5 billion) to replace the plant with solar power, excluding battery storage costs. Instead, PLN is pursuing a coal phase-down approach, retiring plants when their power-purchase agreements expire.

Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership climate finance package has expanded to about USD 21.4 billion despite the United States withdrawing after the 2022 G20 agreement, because other donors have increased their commitments. Around USD 3.1 billion has been approved so far, including funding for a floating solar power plant in West Java and new transmission lines to carry renewable power across Sulawesi. Indonesia is also negotiating a further USD 5.5 billion.

Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Secretariat estimates that decarbonising the country’s captive power sector will require USD 31 billion by 2030 and USD 92 billion by 2050. Captive power—mostly coal-fired electricity generated by industries for their own use—has expanded rapidly in recent years, especially in nickel industrial estates, but it was initially excluded from Indonesia’s 2023 JETP decarbonisation plan. The estimates complement the USD 97 billion needed by 2030 to clean up the main on-grid power sector.

Indonesian civil society groups argue that a proposed coal export duty from 2026 could help fund the country’s 100-GW solar programme, noting that the main barrier to a just energy transition so far has been financing rather than technology. The duty could raise around IDR 90 trillion (USD 5.6 billion) annually, complementing funding under Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership. Effective implementation would depend on clear revenue earmarking and strong inter-ministerial coordination.

Nigeria will need around USD 1.9 trillion to deliver its energy transition, according to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), which has warned lawmakers of significant social and fiscal risks if the shift is poorly managed. NEITI stressed that transition planning must address impacts on workers, communities, and public revenues from fossil fuels, calling for stronger governance, targeted support measures, and private investment to ensure an equitable transition.

Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission has moved to allow utilities to provide additional financial support to communities losing coal-fired power plants, responding to concerns that existing assistance is insufficient. However, transition funding would only be released if plants ultimately shut down — an outcome that remains uncertain after federal orders under the Donald Trump administration required some coal plants in the state to remain online.

African journalists from across the continent have launched a joint initiative to strengthen reporting on climate justice, just transition, and information integrity following a three-day workshop. The initiative aims to boost cross-border collaboration, counter climate misinformation, and elevate African perspectives in global climate debates. A core focus was climate justice reporting through a labour lens, highlighting how the media can amplify unions’ role in defending workers’ rights and promoting inclusive climate action through social dialogue.

Slovenia’s government adopted a bill to earmark EUR 282.2 million (approximately USD 330 million) for just transition and renewable energy investments in its coal-dependent Šalek Valley, alongside a law adopted in late November providing for the gradual closure of the Premogovnik Velenje. The funding will support renewables, economic diversification, business development, and worker assistance, financed through EU cohesion funds, Slovenia’s state budget, and municipal budgets in the coal region.

Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, has signed a law facilitating hard coal mine closures by allowing mining companies to decommission mines independently with state financial backing. The legislation enables continued state aid to cover operating losses during the phase-out, maintains existing early-retirement schemes, and makes severance payments for miners tax-free. The measures implement agreements with unions, mainly affecting the Upper Silesia coal region.

South Korea has established government task forces to tackle the bottlenecks that are slowing renewable energy deployment, with a strong focus on community participation. Regional environment agencies will work closely with local communities to support project acceptance, facilitate timely grid development, and run local dispute-resolution platforms. The move aims to accelerate solar and wind deployment while aligning renewables expansion with the government’s coal phase-out targets.

The concept of a just transition is gaining importance for investors as private credit and equity funds play a growing role in financing the move to net-zero, according to a report examining 23 specialist funds. Investors view just transition action mainly as a risk management tool, describing it as commercially prudent rather than values-based. While all funds showed just transition–aligned practices, only two referenced it explicitly, with weak definitions, limited metrics, and perceived return trade-offs cited as barriers.

Chile’s Interministerial Committee for Fair Socio-Ecological Transition has approved the just transition plan for Mejillones, completing all five national just transition plans alongside those for Huasco, Concón-Quintero-Puchuncaví, and Tocopilla. With a 2035 horizon, the plan mobilises an estimated USD 14 billion in public and private measures, which are structured around social welfare and gender equality; sustainable production; job reconversion; and the creation of quality employment.

Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge has launched a prior public consultation to prepare its second Just Transition Strategy (2026–2030), coordinated through the Institute for Just Transition. Required under Spain’s Climate Change Law, the strategy will update the 2019 framework and focus on labour impacts, vulnerable territories, policy instruments, and coordination mechanisms across sectors affected by decarbonisation, aligning with the national energy and climate plan.

ENGIE Chile disconnected two coal-fired units at its Mejillones Thermal Complex on 31 December 2025, removing 711 MW of coal capacity from the grid. At the same time, 377 MW of that capacity—the Infraestructura Energética Mejillones unit—has begun conversion to natural gas to provide flexible backup generation, advancing the company’s planned coal exit.

Colombia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy has launched Gecelca Solar, transforming the historic coal-and-gas power company Gecelca into a 650-MW solar-focused generator as part of the country’s just energy transition. The portfolio begins with a 200-MW solar plant on the Caribbean coast, aiming to lower energy costs and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, while addressing regional energy poverty and supporting decarbonisation linked to Colombia’s planned coal phase-out.

Plans to retire 15 coal-fired power plants in the United States have been delayed after the U.S. Department of Energy ordered them to remain available to meet rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centres under the Donald Trump administration. Supporters argue that the move is needed for grid reliability, while critics say many plants remain uneconomic and are still likely to close once short-term demand pressures ease, creating uncertainty for coal communities and transition planning.

Critical minerals entered UN climate negotiations for the first time through discussions on the Just Transition Work Programme, but the language was removed following objections from China and other countries. At the same time, similar references were adopted in other international forums in which China participates, including the G20 and the UN Environment Assembly. China cited the lack of agreed definitions, claiming that the issue had emerged unexpectedly in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change process before internal coordination and shared framing had taken shape.

Thailand’s continued reliance on coal is misaligned with its new net-zero 2050 target and its updated nationally determined contributions as the country revises its energy and power development plans. Falling renewables costs, rising coal import bills, and health-related damages are making coal power economically inefficient. Accelerating the coal phase-out would reduce electricity costs, limit stranded asset risks, and free up fiscal space, while strengthening energy security and supporting Thailand’s long-term climate commitments.