[Reporter's Notebook] The Path to a Just Transition Begins with Communication and Commitment

On a train from London to Kingston upon Hull, I stood for the entire two and a half hour journey. Expecting a quieter fishing village compared to the bustling and crowded capital, I had mistakenly purchased an unreserved seat. The train was already full, and more than a dozen passengers-including teenagers in Hull City football uniforms and businessmen in their forties carrying briefcases-were gathered in the aisles, unable to find seats, just like me. When people gather, a city comes alive. In Hull, renewable energy has not only meant the success of a single offshore wind manufacturing plant; it has become the catalyst for reviving the local economy. News of additional hiring at the plant has filled local residents with anticipation.

A month before my visit to Hull, local elections were held in the UK, and Luke Campbell was elected mayor of Hull (East Yorkshire). Some expressed concerns that "offshore wind power could be shaken," since he is a member of Reform UK, a party opposed to renewable energy. However, immediately after taking office, Mayor Campbell stated to local media that "the region comes before party politics." Even with a change in leadership, policies were not overturned. This was because the foundations of trust had been established through principles such as prioritizing local hiring, providing reemployment support for fishermen, and maintaining consistent communication through public hearings and meetings. In Hull, offshore wind power is not merely seen as an environmental policy but as an industry that has transformed the lives of local residents.

In contrast, the situation in South Korea remains challenging. Offshore wind projects face difficulties from the site selection stage, and mining workers lament that they "never expected closures without proper measures." Workers at coal-fired power plants facing imminent shutdowns are anxious about the uncertain future. While they agree on the necessity of such policies, they are angered that their voices have not been reflected in the process. The closures have already become a reality, yet special legislation and related business approvals to support these workers are delayed. Local residents distrust the government and politicians, feeling that their lives are being sacrificed for the bigger picture.

When I asked a representative of Associated British Ports (AB Ports), which operates 21 ports in the UK, what advice he would most like to give to South Korea, he emphasized the importance of "commitment." He stressed that it is essential to go beyond communication aimed merely at persuasion and to build ongoing relationships and make concrete commitments to stakeholders such as local residents and businesses. Even now, disputes occasionally arise between fishermen and offshore wind stakeholders over maritime areas, but with trust as the foundation, coordination is no longer difficult. Fishermen who once opposed the introduction of offshore wind now pilot research vessels and are pleased to have gained a regular income.

The UK has advanced its renewable energy projects without excluding anyone. Rather than simply persuading, they communicated to make decisions together. They presented concrete ways for the local economy to thrive within the grand vision of carbon neutrality. A "just transition" cannot be achieved by top-down directives alone. It requires dialogue that respects the lives of local residents and a process of communication in which all stakeholders participate.