Financing a Just Transition: Lessons, Experiences and Opportunities

On the sidelines of the G20 Energy Transition Working Group and Ministerial Meetings, the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), together with the Coal Transition Commission Secretariat (co-chaired by France and Indonesia and hosted by The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), convened a dialogue in Durban to explore how countries can mobilise finance for a just coal transition.

Drawing on experiences from South Africa, Indonesia and Canada, participants shared practical insights on creating the enabling conditions that give citizens, businesses, and investors the confidence to engage in the transition — and ensure it delivers both financial and social outcomes.

Key takeaways included:
✅ The current geopolitical fragmentation can be turned into an opportunity to strengthen coalitions for climate and social justice.
✅ There is a need to build a “coalition of the willing” — bringing together governments, development partners and the private sector to accelerate Just Energy Transitions.
✅ Concessional finance must be catalytic, used strategically to de-risk investments, unlock private capital, and enable policy reforms that make systemic change possible.
✅ The South Africa Country Platform offers a promising mechanism to align commitments, boost confidence and attract private sector participation in implementing the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP).
✅ Beyond infrastructure, social protection and inclusion mechanisms must be sustainably financed to ensure no one is left behind.

A powerful reminder that the transition from coal to green must be as just as it is ambitious.

*This post first appeared on the Agence Francaise de Développement in South Africa page