IEA’s Global Commission emphasizes fairness in clean energy transitions

MENA Newswire News Desk: The Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions, recently established by the International Energy Agency (IEA), convened for the first time in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, alongside the G20 energy ministers meeting. The discussions focused on embedding fairness and affordability into clean energy policy frameworks, setting the stage for future action by the Commission.

Co-chaired by Brazil’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira de Oliveira, and Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister, Teresa Ribera, the Commission includes leaders from government, international organizations, and civil society. The Commission aims to develop actionable recommendations to support the global shift to clean energy while ensuring equitable socio-economic outcomes.

The meeting also marked the release of a new IEA report, which raised seven key questions surrounding fairness and affordability in clean energy transitions. The report emphasizes access to affordable technologies for marginalized communities, the creation of sustainable jobs, and broad stakeholder engagement in policy-making. Best practices from across the globe were also reviewed during the discussions.

“Unprecedented momentum is building behind the world’s shift to clean energy, but to sustain progress, the benefits must be widely shared,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “This Global Commission acknowledges that fairness must be central to energy policies, and today’s discussions reflected diverse perspectives. I extend my gratitude to Deputy Prime Minister Ribera and Minister Silveira for their leadership and to the Commission members for their contributions. We look forward to advancing this critical work.”

Minister Silveira emphasized the importance of the social aspects of clean energy transitions. “At the Global Commission’s first meeting, we reaffirmed that addressing the social dimensions is essential. Brazil looks forward to collaborating with Commission members to ensure fairness and inclusivity in our strategies, particularly for vulnerable communities,” he stated.

Deputy Prime Minister Ribera highlighted the need to integrate decarbonization with solutions that enhance people’s quality of life. “Combining climate action with socioeconomic benefits is key. We must respond to the expectations of workers and communities impacted by the transition,” she said.

In the coming months, the Commission will develop an implementation roadmap to guide policymakers and international stakeholders in addressing the identified challenges. This plan will include metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and policies implemented to ensure fair and affordable clean energy transitions.