South Africa’s Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has launched three new initiatives to close the green skills gap, which is critical for the country’s just energy transition (JET). The JET Skills Desk, National JET Skills Advisory Forum, and a multi-donor initiative will coordinate demand-driven training, align stakeholders, and support “skills development zones” in transition-affected regions. These efforts aim to build local resilience, tackle skills mismatches, and ensure an inclusive, equitable energy future.

An independent analysis warns that President Trump’s efforts to keep coal (and other fossil fuel) plants operating that are scheduled to retire could cost U.S. ratepayers billions annually. The mandates by the Department of Energy to retain uneconomic plants could raise bills by USD 3.1 billion a year by 2028, and potentially by up to USD 5.9 billion if the mandates are extended to the full fleet. Critics say the policy will undermine market-driven closures, inflate electricity costs, and deter investment in cheaper renewables.

The Saskatchewan government is defending its plan to keep coal-fired power plants running past Canada’s 2029 phase-out deadline, saying the extension is needed to ensure affordable and reliable electricity. The decision is now before the courts after environmental groups filed for a judicial review and requested an interim stay to halt refurbishment work. They argue that the move breaches federal emissions rules and undermines national coal commitments.

The European Union’s EUR 26.7 billion Just Transition Fund is facing criticism after reports that it has financed projects such as sauna festivals, dance marathons, axe-throwing centres, and sport camps in Estonia’s shale oil region. Critics say the lack of transparency risks misuse and won’t replace fossil fuel jobs, while Estonian officials argue that these cultural initiatives will diversify the economy and build social cohesion. EU auditors are planning a review next year to assess whether the fund delivers real transition outcomes.

Serbia has adopted its first Just Energy Transition Plan, setting out measures until 2030 to cushion the social and economic impacts of moving away from coal. The plan encourages retraining, community support, and diversification in coal-dependent regions. Government officials have hailed it as a milestone, but unions have warned that the proposed measures remain vague and underfunded, raising doubts about whether workers and local communities will be adequately protected.

South Korean President Lee Jaemyung has pledged to shut down all coal power by 2040, but new analysis suggests most plants will lose economic viability after 2035. The non-profit NEXT’s Coal Phase-Out Report 2 shows that utilisation rates of coal plants are falling sharply, with newly built plants running for only one-third of the time. The report argues that an earlier 2035 exit is feasible, warns that ammonia co-firing is uneconomic, and urges the government to publish a detailed coal phase-out roadmap with annual targets.

After four days of blockades, small-scale miners in Boyacá, Colombia, ended their strike following an agreement with the government that guarantees their inclusion in a just and inclusive energy transition. The deal commits to formalising artisanal coal mining, easing administrative barriers, and supporting regional economic diversification into sectors such as strategic minerals, agroindustry, tourism, and clean energy. As an immediate step, 15 miners were formally recognised, ensuring their participation in shaping Boyacá’s transition roadmap.

Coal India has issued tenders for 5 GW of new renewables capacity—3 GW of solar and 2 GW of wind—as part of its strategy to diversify away from coal amid falling output. The state-run miner, which produces about three-quarters of India’s coal, saw production decline by 3.5% in the first 5 months of this fiscal year. It aims to raise installed renewables capacity from just 0.2 GW today to 9.5 GW by 2030.

Developing countries are pushing for critical minerals to be included in the Just Transition Work Programme at COP 30. The G77+China argues that fair access to and governance of resources like copper, cobalt, lithium, and nickel must be part of the definition of just transition, alongside support for fossil fuel workers. Campaigners back this broader approach, calling for a new “Belém action mechanism” to ensure that mining creates jobs and revenues while addressing environmental and labour impacts.

China is rapidly expanding its role in Indonesia’s energy transition as western Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) financing stalls. While only USD 1.2 billion of the USD 20 billion pledged by western partners has materialised, Chinese firms have signed multi-billion-dollar deals with Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) for renewables, grids, and electric vehicle (EV) supply chains. Backed by state financing, projects are advancing faster than western-backed initiatives, though experts warn of weak environmental and social safeguards.

South Africa’s state-owned power company, Eskom, is finalising a public–private partnership (PPP) framework to support a 5 GW pipeline of repowering projects at six coal station sites, with 2 GW planned by 2026. In a briefing to Parliament, the utility said these projects are central to its Just Energy Transition strategy, which aims to add 20 GW of clean capacity by 2040. The PPP model is intended to mobilise private capital while Eskom provides land and grid access. Alongside repowering with renewables, storage, and gas, the plan includes repurposing sites for training centres, manufacturing, and farming to support local jobs and communities.

Vietnam and its International Partners Group (IPG) have identified 24 projects that are eligible for JETP support, requiring more than USD 7 billion in financing. Announced at a coordination meeting in Hanoi, the list includes projects aligned with Power Development Plan VIII. Three major projects have already secured IPG funding: a EUR 67 million loan for a 500 kV line, EUR 480 million for the Bac Ai pumped storage plant, and EUR 65 million for upgrades to Tri An hydropower.

South Africa’s artisanal miners are calling for a stake in the critical minerals boom as the government considers a new Mineral Resources Development Bill. The bill would formalise informal mining through permits and designated zones, potentially creating safer jobs and training pathways into copper and manganese extraction. The National Association of Artisanal Miners argues that this is vital for replacing coal jobs, but warns that the bill is too vague, risks over-regulation, and could impose heavy costs on miners.

Chile has launched its updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) together with a new National Strategy for a Socio-Ecological Just Transition ahead of COP 30. The strategy lays out principles for ensuring that climate policies protect workers, communities, and ecosystems, with a focus on participation, equity, and territorial justice. It highlights the need to accompany decarbonisation and coal phase-out with new social protections, retraining, and regional development plans, making just transition a central pillar of Chile’s climate ambition.

Scotland’s GBP 3.7 million Energy Skills Passport, launched in January to help oil and gas workers move into green jobs, has attracted just 200 users in its first 5 months. Promoted as critical to the country’s just transition, the platform lets workers log skills and identify training needs. Unions and opposition politicians warn that the slow uptake and lack of employer engagement risk undermining the scheme, leaving workers facing job losses with few alternatives.

Czech mining company OKD will close its last hard coal mine, ČSM, in Karviná, by 2026, despite the mine remaining profitable and producing 1.14 million tonnes this year. Officials argue that shutting down while still financially sustainable will avoid future losses and subsidies. OKD earned a profit of CZK 1 billion (EUR 41 million) last year, but policy-makers see continued operations as risky. The move contrasts with Poland, which extracts 48 million tonnes annually and spends about EUR 235,000 per hour to subsidise its coal sector.

Colombia has launched its first national call to finance community energy projects, with COP 11 billion (USD 2.7 million) available for four initiatives. Led by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ministry of Mines and Energy, and Ecopetrol, the programme will support projects in both grid-connected and off-grid zones, focussing on clean energy access, cost reduction, and community empowerment. The authorities stress that the goal is to democratise energy and make communities key actors in a just transition, with results to be announced in March 2026.

Indian trade unions met in Ranchi and Delhi to demand a worker-centred just transition in coal and renewables. They warned of shrinking permanent jobs in coal and sudden mine closures, while in renewables most of the 1.3 million jobs are informal, low-paid, and unsafe. Unions urged the government to provide reskilling, enforce labour standards in renewables, guarantee social protection for displaced workers, and ensure that women’s needs are integrated into transition policies.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has unveiled a Workers’ Just Transition Charter of Demands, linked to the upcoming nationally determined contribution (NDC 3.0). The charter calls for trade union participation in climate policy, reskilling in carbon-intensive sectors, stronger occupational health protections, and compensation for affected workers and communities. It also proposes creating a Just Transition Commission with unions, employers, government, and non-governmental organisations to oversee policies, financing, and social dialogue for a fair low-carbon transition.

At the Indonesia Green Industry Summit, non-governmental organisation Aksi Ekologi & Emansipasi Rakyat (AEER) urged the government to halt coal-fired captive power for nickel smelters, warning that it is threatening climate goals and risking stranded assets as reserves deplete. Nickel production already accounts for 22% of Indonesia’s energy and industry emissions, mostly from coal. Despite Sulawesi’s 250-GW renewables potential, less than 10 GW has been planned. AEER has called for stricter policies, forest protection, and accelerated grid links to enable renewables.