In this episode, host Kristin Hayes talks with Wesley Look and Daniel Raimi, Resources for the Future (RFF) colleagues who have led RFF's research on enabling fairness for energy workers and communities in transition. Look is a senior research associate and Raimi is a fellow at RFF, and the work they describe in this episode has been carried out over the past year in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), culminating in a synthesis report released on March 25, 2021.

Look and Raimi share some of the lessons that they and their EDF colleagues have learned about this complex topic, including the many facets of transition, how the federal government can improve outcomes for workers, and what researchers and policymakers alike can learn from various communities and countries that already face these changing ties to the energy industry.

References and recommendations:

“Enabling Fairness for Energy Workers and Communities in Transition” synthesis report by Wesley Look, Daniel Raimi, Molly Robertson, Jake Higdon, and Daniel Propp; https://www.rff.org/publications/reports/enabling-fairness-for-energy-workers-and-communities-in-transition/

Fairness for Workers and Communities in Transition report series by Wesley Look, Daniel Raimi, Molly Robertson, Jake Higdon, and Daniel Propp; https://www.rff.org/fairness-for-workers-and-communities/

“Economic Development Policies to Enable Fairness for Workers and Communities in Transition” by Daniel Raimi, Wesley Look, Molly Robertson, and Jake Higdon; https://www.rff.org/publications/reports/economic-development-fairness-workers-communities/

“Environmental Remediation and Infrastructure Policies Supporting Workers and Communities in Transition” by Daniel Raimi; https://www.rff.org/publications/reports/environment-infrastructure-fairness-workers-communities/

“The Role of Public Benefits in Supporting Workers and Communities Affected by Energy Transition” by Jake Higdon and Molly Robertson; https://www.rff.org/publications/reports/public-benefits-supporting-workers-and-communities-affected-energy-transition/

“Labor Policies to Enable Fairness for Workers and Communities in Transition” by Wesley Look, Molly Robertson, Jake Higdon, and Daniel Propp; https://www.rff.org/publications/reports/labor-policies-to-enable-fairness-for-workers-and-communities-in-transition/

Just Transition Initiative at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS); https://www.csis.org/programs/energy-security-and-climate-change-program/projects/just-transition-initiative

The American Jobs Plan from the Biden administration; https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/