Senior administration officials announced new policies that aim to ensure that rural regions hit by mine closures and shuttered power plants can get an economic boost from new federal cash for energy and infrastructure funding.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy showcases the Just Transition Fund's mission and work to support coal-impacted communties in the effort to secure historic levels of federal funding.
The pandemic exacerbated the economic, political and cultural differences in the United States. Big problems call for big solutions, which is what motivated Heidi Binko to create The Just Transition Fund to create a pathway for coal communities to move away from coal.
With historic funding available, local organizations are striving to diversify and rebuild West Virginia’s economies.
A two-part podcast exploring the topic of Just Transition and how communities and economies are transitioning away from fossil fuels in a fair and equitable way.
We know from our experience supporting economic transition in coal-impacted communities that the best way to achieve successful outcomes is to plan early and ensure that all affected stakeholders are at the table to help craft solutions. These best practices hold true for communities working to transition their economies away from other fossil fuels.
The Workday Foundation’s $1 million Just Transition Grant Fund aims to make investments in non-profit organizations working to train workers for in-demand jobs in a low-carbon economy, in part by supporting the Just Transition Fund's Federal Access Center and broadband programs.
A plan for Western countries to help fund South Africa's transition from coal was difficult to reach, but parties announced an agreement this month. It could be a model for other countries.
The effort to help displaced coal workers had a rocky start, but there is better coordination across the state and a few grant awards are initiating programs to get the ball rolling.
New projects in Appalachia show how the region can seize on a growing wave of climate infrastructure investment to build a workforce that is diverse, well-paid, and protected by strong labor standards.
“Rural communities are the backbone of our nation, but for too long they’ve been left behind and they have been underrecognized,” Landrieu said. “We all know how essential the internet is in order to access lifesaving telemedicine, to tap into economic opportunity, to connect with loved ones, to work on precision agriculture and so much more. That’s just beyond unacceptable that that’s not available to rural America.”
