10th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa(CCDA-X)

In 2022, the African Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access (ACSEA) and the Pan-African Climate
Justice Alliance (PACJA) led a series of reflections to develop an African perspective of just transition.
The process aims to elucidate the critical issues that must inform the just transition process in Africa
and our advocacy. Lessons from this process are diverse. But they converge around three cardinal
points. In addition to catering for job losses and other undesired effects, policies and programs need
to:

• increase sustainable energy access for all, deploying energy services to strengthen adaptive
  capacities and resilience through reforms to decentralize and democratize energy services
• foster low-emission industrialization in Africa through the promotion of homegrown
  innovation, technology development, and technology transfer
• comply with the principles of climate justice through mechanisms to compensate forgone
  resources (or stranded assets) and mobilize resources for programs and projects.

As centers of innovation, finance mobilization, and job creation, private enterprises can accelerate
the attainment of these goals. But quite often, they work in silos. This increases the risk that private-led investment and initiatives fail to integrate the broad range of energy and climate challenges
facing Africa in their decision-making or that policies and programs do not take advantage of the
strength of the private sector. One of the reasons for this is the absence of a platform for dialogue
between the private sector, CSOs, and other actors.
ACSEA and PACJA have partnered with WWF, WRI, and others for this side event to lay the foundation
for a more robust engagement of the private sector in just transition processes in Africa and the
establishment of a collaborative framework with civil society.

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