Just Energy Transitions: Shaping Critical Minerals Governance in the Asia-Pacific

An event by the UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good.

Transitioning to a low-carbon economy is essential for mitigating climate change, however, it presents a series of ethical and policy dilemmas. We risk locking ourselves into a mineral and extractive intensive transition process. Without pro-active attention to the governance of natural resources and energy transitions, the current transition pathway will create and exacerbate entwined economic and environmental harms, inequalities, and injustices.

This forum will discuss the role of public and private sector actors in the Asia-Pacific region in a just transition, with a particular focus on questions of justice and fairness for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The forum will be guided by the following two key questions/themes: 

What system changes are needed to address historical and existing injustices and avoid creating new injustices in critical mineral governance? And how can we avoid mineral-intensive lock-in through transitions? How to achieve alternative futures?

More information on the background and focus of the forum here. 

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Forum schedule

• Morning coffee and participant registration | 09:30 – 10:00
  

• Welcome and Introduction: Decarbonisation Dilemma | 10:00 – 10:30
• Dr Rini Astuti (ANU – Centre for the Public Awareness of Science / UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good)
• Professor Sujatha Raman (ANU – Centre for the Public Awareness of Science / UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good)
  

• Session 1: Addressing Historical, Existing, and Emerging Injustices | 10:30 – 12:00

• Dr Tira Foran (CSIRO - Valuing Sustainability Future Science Platform)
• Professor Emeritus John Taylor (ANU – First Nations Portfolio)
• Professor Kuntala Lahiri Dutt (ANU – Crawford School of Public Policy)
• Moderator: Dr Beck Pearse (ANU – School of Sociology)
  

• Lunch Break | 12:00 – 12:45
  

• Session 2: The Asia Pacific Critical Mineral Governance: Challenges and Opportunities in Creating Just Transition Pathways | 12.45 – 14.15

• Steven Brown (Minerals Council of Australia)
• H.E. Indonesia’s Ambassador to Australia and Vanuatu, Dr Siswo Pramono
• A/Prof Nick Bainton (ANU – School of Regulation and Governance)
• Ms Anne McNaughton (ANU - Centre for European Studies)
• Moderator: Dr Rini Astuti 

• Afternoon coffee | 14:15 – 14:30
  

• Session 3: Co-creating just critical mineral governance and alternative pathways | 14:30 – 16:00

• Katherine Teh (Spektrum Mining)
• Dr Alessio Miatto (CSIRO Environment)
• Dr Rebecca Riggs (CSIRO Environment)
• Moderator: Professor Sujatha Raman
  

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Co-organisers:

• Dr Rini Astuti - (ANU - Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science)
• Professor Sujatha Raman - (ANU - Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science)
• Dr Rebecca Riggs - (CSIRO - Valuing Sustainability Future Science Platform)
• A/Prof Nick Bainton - (ANU – School of Regulation and Governance)
• Dr Beck Pearse - (ANU – School of Sociology)
• Dr Arianto Patunru - (Indonesia Project - Crawford School of Public Policy)
• Dr Ehsan Nabavi - (ANU - Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science)
• Professor Budy Resosudarmo (ANU - Crawford School of Public Policy)

With support from the ANU Institute of Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions – ANU and with thanks to CSIRO.