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Monash experts: Negotiating a just and equitable energy transition at COP29

Monash University

World leaders are gathered in Azerbaijan for the UN Climate Change Conference 2024, also known as COP29 or the Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

One of Monash’s focus areas at COP is the Just Energy Transition (JET), which involves expediting inclusive net zero transitions through clean energy solutions. A healthy economy should not come at the cost of a safe and liveable environment. A just energy transition ensures that the benefits and impacts of green energy are shared widely and take into account those who may stand to lose economically. The premise of a JET is to provide equitable access to renewable energy systems whilst building resilience to the effects of climate change, particularly in vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Monash University has sent a delegation of climate action leaders, including academics and students, to each conference since becoming an official COP Observer Organisation in 2016. We are aiming to accelerate global action on sustainability, empowering diverse voices from across the Indo-Pacific and influencing superior policy outcomes across a broad range of issues.Find out more monash.edu/cop29 

 

Available to comment:

Trang Nguyen, Southeast Asia Lead, Climateworks Centre
Contact: +61 456 428 906 or media@monash.edu

  • Transition to a low carbon economy
  • Climate and green finance
  • Sustainable infrastructure

Nguyen is attending COP29 from 12 to 17 November

Comments attributable to Nguyen:

“For Southeast Asia's low- and middle-income countries, the transition to a low-carbon economy will rely heavily on two things. The first is international concessional finance. The second is stronger climate targets to catalyse investor interest. Both are expected to be determined at COP29. Countries must update their NDCs by February 2025 under the terms of the Paris Agreement. Additionally, leaders will announce the New Collective Quantified Goal, a new set of financing commitments to support 'developing countries' in their climate actions post 2025.”

 

Available to comment:

Dr Christian Jakob, Professor in Monash’s School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, Director of the Monash-led ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century
Contact: +61 431 286 955 or christian.jakob@monash.edu

  • Weather and climate interactions
  • Tropical Convection
  • Weather forecasting and modelling

Comments attributable to Dr Jakob:

“Climate science has a key role to play in the energy transition, providing the expertise to build a weather-fuelled, net-zero emissions economy as the climate is changing. Wind, solar and hydro energy are critical to decarbonising our energy systems, and our ability to adequately and sustainably harness the weather as a resource can only be achieved by utilising climate science. This is what the Monash-led ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century is all about.

“To consider weather as a resource rather than just a hazard will require a significant reframing of our thinking and policy. For all of human history, we have tried to become less vulnerable to the weather - from the earliest constructed shelters to modern, tropical cyclone-proof building codes. But now, for the first time ever, we actually will become more dependent on the weather because it represents a powerhouse resource for the future.”

 

Available to comment:

Associate Professor Guillaume Roger, Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University
Contact: +61 3 9903 4840 or media@monash.edu  

The following can be attributed to Associate Professor Roger:

“How we trade electricity today, and the financial instruments that support such trade, are inadequate to deal with intermittent energy and storage. Large-scale electricity storage will need to play an essential role if Australia is to reach its stated clean energy future. 

“The problem is that renewable energy must be stored to really be useful; there is too much of it when we don't need it, and not enough when we do. Storage enables the intertemporal shift of electricity production to make energy accessible when required rather than when available. As Australia seeks to transition to a robust and sustainable energy future, addressing the complexities of electricity storage is crucial.”

 

Available to comment:

Dr Darren Sharp, Senior Research Fellow at Monash Sustainable Development Institute
Contact: +61 419 314 655 or darren.sharp@monash.edu

  • Sustainable transitions
  • Design for social innovation
  • Community-led carbon emissions reduction

Comments attributable to Dr Sharp:

“Collective agreement between nations is key to transitioning our economies and cities to net zero by 2050, and meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Agreement.This transformation will be bigger than the industrial revolution and universities like Monash have a key role to play in knowledge co-creation to achieve it, alongside government, business and communities.

“Monash’s Net Zero Precincts Project showcases a way forward, and one that can be replicated in other places and contexts around the world. This four year ARC Linkage project will develop and test a new interdisciplinary approach to help cities and urban regions reach net zero emissions by taking the precinct as an optimal scale for urban transition.

“To do this, we have developed a Living Lab situated at our Clayton campus in the Monash Technology Precinct, and are conducting a portfolio of experiments in energy, mobility, buildings, local governance and circular economy.”

 

Available to comment:

Monash Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) student Kaaviyan Pathmasiri
Contact: +61 456 428 906 or media@monash.edu

  • Monash Delegate at COP28 and COP29, this year also supporting Global Alliance of Universities on Climate at their pavilion
  • Speaking at Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education’s ‘Mobilising Intergenerational Partnerships through Higher Education’ event
  • Monash Energy Club President

Pathmasiri will be attending COP29

Comments attributable to Kaaviyan:

“Equipping students to fully engage with the energy transition, especially in developing states, should be a priority alongside technical innovation and investment in large-scale energy projects. Meeting the demands of this clean energy employment surge will require tertiary institutions to develop courses focused on renewable energy, shifting away from education centred around the fossil fuel economy.

“The energy transition isn’t just a STEM-driven sector – it’s an opportunity for contributions from every field. We need artists to craft compelling narratives, communicators to inspire action, policy experts to shape legislation, entrepreneurs to drive sustainable innovation and educators to prepare the next generation. This is a multidisciplinary effort, and everyone, regardless of their background or expertise, will be able to find a role in this exciting space.

"Student-led initiatives like the Monash Energy Club prove that today’s students aren’t just focused on completing our degrees and securing jobs – we are actively shaping the future of the energy and power sector. By connecting with industry leaders and academics, we are demonstrating a commitment to not just learning, but to meaningfully engaging with the sector. We are determined to carve out our own paths in an increasingly dynamic and, at times, overwhelming industry."

 

Read more about what Monash climate experts have to say about COP29 at Monash Lens.

For more Monash media stories visit our news & events site: monash.edu/news
For any other topics on which you may be seeking expert comment, contact the Monash University Media Unit on +61 3 9903 4840 or media@monash.edu