Just Transition Employment and Retraining Working Group
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Created by the Climate Solutions Now Act in 2022, The Just Transition Working Group focuses on transitioning workers in fossil fuel industries to employment opportunities in a clean energy economy. Most of the members are from labor organizations or impacted industries.
THE WORKING GROUP SHALL:
- Advise the commission on issues and opportunities for workforce development and training related to energy efficient measures, renewable energy, and other clean energy technologies, with a specific focus on training and workforce opportunities for:
- Segments of the population that may be underrepresented in the clean energy workforce, such as veterans, women, formerly incarcerated individuals, and dislocated workers affected by the downsizing of fossil fuel industries.
- Identify energy-intensive industries and related trades:
- sites of electric generating facilities that may be closed as a result of a transition to renewable energy sources;
- sector-specific impacts of the state's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction plan on the state's current workforce;
- avenues to maximize the skills and expertise of Maryland workers in the new energy economy;
- challenges and opportunities related to minimizing adverse employment and financial impacts on displaced workers and their communities through environmental policies conditioned on the fair distribution of costs and benefits;
- and resources necessary to protect workers from economic insecurity, including options for maintaining or supplementing retirement and health care benefits for dislocated workers affected by the downsizing of fossil fuel industries;
- Advise the commission on the potential impacts of carbon leakage risks on Maryland industries and local host communities, including the impact of any potential Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction measures on the
comcompetitiveness of Maryland businesses and industry; and - Conduct a study of the number of jobs created to counter climate change impacts, including in the
- energy sector,
- transportation sector,
- and working lands sector;
- the projected inventory of jobs needed and skills and training required to meet future demand for jobs to counter climate change impacts;
- workforce disruption due to community changes caused by the transition to a low-carbon economy; and
- strategies for targeting workforce development and job creation in fence-line communities that have historically borne the brunt of hosting carbon polluters.
- In accordance with § 2–1257 of the state government article, the Working Group shall report to the Commission and the General Assembly on the findings of the study on or before December 31, 2023.
Contact: Cindy.Osorto1@maryland.gov
