Established in 2018, the Just Transition Unit (JTU) was created to facilitate the region of Taranaki’s transition to a low carbon economy while prioritizing equity during the transition process. Over time, the role of the JTU evolved as it learned from its experiences and engagements with diverse stakeholders.
When first established the JTU was a strategic group, examining the long-term impacts of climate change policy on households, communities, industries, and regions. In 2019, the JTU was transformed into the Just Transitions Partnerships (JTP), an operational group partnering with affected people, places, and regions in the immediate term. The JTP's role was to work closely with the people and places affected by the transition to support them through immediate transition challenges. This operational focus complemented the strategic focus of the JTU.
To inform future work of the JTP, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) commissioned qualitative research to learn from the Taranaki planning phase, about the role and work of the JTU and then JTP. The aim of the research was to learn from the Taranaki experience, to improve the ongoing work of the coordination and partnerships approaches but also to inform the design of other transition planning exercises elsewhere in New Zealand.
This research focused on six questions: (1) what was the role of the JTU in supporting the Taranaki region in the transition planning process to a low emissions economy? (2) How has the JTU supported the transition planning process? (3) How has the JTU’s support changed over the transition planning period? (4) How useful was the support provided by the JTU? (5) How has the JTU engaged with iwi in the transition planning process?, and (6) How else could the JTU support transitions to a low emissions economy?
The research team interviewed many different stakeholders, from central and local Taranaki governments to NGOs, community, union, iwi, and business representatives. The team also reviewed international literature on government agencies’ role in supporting transitions to a low emissions economy, and convened a series of sense-making sessions with the JTU and their transition partners to discuss the research findings.
Established in 2018, the Just Transition Unit (JTU) was created to facilitate the region of Taranaki’s transition to a low carbon economy while prioritizing equity during the transition process. Over time, the role of the JTU evolved as it learned from its experiences and engagements with diverse stakeholders.
When first established the JTU was a strategic group, examining the long-term impacts of climate change policy on households, communities, industries, and regions. In 2019, the JTU was transformed into the Just Transitions Partnerships (JTP), an operational group partnering with affected people, places, and regions in the immediate term. The JTP's role was to work closely with the people and places affected by the transition to support them through immediate transition challenges. This operational focus complemented the strategic focus of the JTU.
To inform future work of the JTP, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) commissioned qualitative research to learn from the Taranaki planning phase, about the role and work of the JTU and then JTP. The aim of the research was to learn from the Taranaki experience, to improve the ongoing work of the coordination and partnerships approaches but also to inform the design of other transition planning exercises elsewhere in New Zealand.
This research focused on six questions: (1) what was the role of the JTU in supporting the Taranaki region in the transition planning process to a low emissions economy? (2) How has the JTU supported the transition planning process? (3) How has the JTU’s support changed over the transition planning period? (4) How useful was the support provided by the JTU? (5) How has the JTU engaged with iwi in the transition planning process?, and (6) How else could the JTU support transitions to a low emissions economy?
The research team interviewed many different stakeholders, from central and local Taranaki governments to NGOs, community, union, iwi, and business representatives. The team also reviewed international literature on government agencies’ role in supporting transitions to a low emissions economy, and convened a series of sense-making sessions with the JTU and their transition partners to discuss the research findings.