Opinion: We need a National Energy Transition Authority to help fossil fuel workers adjust

Dr Fergus Green
Dr Fergus Green
Dr Fergus Green Dr Fergus Green (UCL Political Science) writes in The Conversation that to soften the economic disruption caused by closing down coal power plants, countries like Australia should invest in schemes to support and retrain workers so they can more easily enter other industries. Australia's coal-fired power stations are exiting the grid. This transition is already well underway, as cheaper renewables displace coal and older generators close. Australia's oldest coal plant, Liddell, is about to close. Eleven coal-fired power plants closed between 2013 and 2020, and at least seven others are slated to close between now and 2030. Closing a power station sounds bloodless. But if it's not done well, it can be devastating for affected workers and their families, and economically and socially disruptive to the communities in which they are based.
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