Deadline: 8-Aug-23 | Call for Research Proposals: Just Energy Transition Project (Kenya and Ghana)
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The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) is inviting research proposals for “Just Energy Transition: Localisation, Decent Work, Small-Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) and Sustainable Livelihoods” Project.
The Just Energy Transition project aims to generate policy changes that promote the localisation of renewable energy value chains, while advocating for decent work, gender equity, and sustainable livelihoods. The transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies presents both risks and opportunities. The project focuses on mitigating risks and empowering countries in the Global South to seize and capitalise on the opportunities.
The research not only fills knowledge gaps vis-a-vis clean energy production in these countries but does so through bringing together a variety of often disparate concerns: structural transformation, localisation, SMMEs, and decent work and sustainability livelihoods for workers and women, thereby giving greater clarity as to what is needed to ensure just transition pathways.
The research is designed and conducted with those who stand to be most impacted in mind, particularly workers and women. It is deliberately policy-centric, seeking to generate the evidential basis for sustained engagement in (active and future) policy process. It supports the voices and agency of these constituencies within these policy processes.
Objectives
- The overall objective of this Project is to develop public policy interventions, and advocacy support, necessary to cement decent work and sustainable livelihoods, particularly for workers and women and youth, through the localisation of clean energy value chains, with a focus on SMMEs capability development in Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa. The specific objectives are to:
- Identify and develop public policy interventions to support the localisation of clean energy value chains and provide decent work and sustainable livelihoods for workers, particularly women and youth engaged in SMMEs;
- Empower relevant stakeholders to participate in on-going policy processes at the national and multilateral levels through concrete evidence developed on the potential, needs, and policy options for achieving localisation, decent work, and sustainable livelihoods within clean energy value chains; and
- Strengthen public policy for increased localisation of clean energy value chains in selected African countries, particularly via SMMEs, in a manner that promotes decent work and sustainable livelihoods for the most vulnerable groups of workers, particularly women and youth.
Funding
ZAR 5 400 000.00 over 27 months.
Eligibility Criteria
The Project Team
- The research firm should have traceable experience in relevant research and advocacy work, collaboration with, SMMEs, unions, CSOs and relevant organisations.
- The firm should be in good standing with the relevant ethical requirements within a country.
- An institution affiliated to a recognised reputable university is preferable.
- The team should include at least three (3) experts, amongst who are the team leader, and two renewable energy experts and researchers. Their general qualifications are described below:
The team leader
- PhD in economics; sociology, engineering or any related advanced degree (e.g Masters) with equivalent experience.
- History peer reviewed publications and policy-relevant outputs.
- Experience in research project coordination and working with partners.
- Experience in policy advocacy.
- Committed to progressive economic transformation in Africa.
- English language fluency with strong research and writing ability.
- Relevant experience from interaction with non-governmental stakeholders, including private sector, civil society, and multilateral development organisations.
- Strong analytical skills and proven expertise in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
- Renewable energy expert/researcher
- A Master’s Degree in development economics; geography or environmental management; sociology (or a Masters with appropriate compensating experience).
- Research experience in issues of energy and intersecting social concerns (e.g. energy justice, just transition, etc.) including existing publications and the production of policy-relevant outputs.
- Committed to progressive economic transformation in Africa.
- English language fluency with strong research and writing ability.
- Extensive understanding of the national and international context of the research in just energy transitions.
Research assistant
- A master’s level qualification (completed or in progress) would be desirable, in economics, social sciences, or related to energy systems or environmental sustainability.
- Basic research and writing skills.
- Knowledge about development economics (heterodox is preferable).
- Some stakeholder management.
- Proficient in ICT.
- Project communications support
- A postgraduate degree, preferably in a related field.
- Not less than 3 years of work in strategic advocacy or communications work.
- Experience in implementing strategic and creative communication plans.
- Experience in developing a communications strategy.
- Strong writing, media design, editing and general communication skills.
- Possess a strong media/journalist network.
- Advocacy management skills and experience.
- Track record of popular or other publications.
For more information and to Apply, visit IEJ – Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ).
Expressions of interest that meet the specifications must be received by email to the address below no later than 5:00 pm on Tuesday, 8 August 2023.
Email: applications@iej.org.za
Interested organisations may also obtain further information at the address above.
