CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Postdoctoral Researcher, Operationalising a Just Transition in Africa

The Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship (CAS) at the University of Pretoria invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Centre’s Environmental Humanities Programme, in the Operationalising a Just Transition in Africa (OJTA) project, in partnership with SouthSouthNorth and the African Research Impact Network.

This interdisciplinary project explores how Just Transition considerations can be incorporated into achieving the stated objectives of the COP27 Africa Just and Affordable Energy Transition Initiative. These objectives include the provision of clean energy to at least 300 million people in Africa and to increase Africa’s renewable energy capacity to 25% of global renewable energy investments (COP27 Presidency, 2022: 2). The research in this project will focus on how this can be operationalised, the role of finance, and encouraging African countries to >10% renewable energy targets within their policy-setting regimes.

The selected candidate will be working on “Broadening the knowledge base and new knowledge production regarding delivering evidence on pathways for operationalising and financing just energy transitions in Africa”. Expected outputs will include research on four (4) case studies; the creation of an evidence database cataloguing financial models, mechanisms and instruments being used to finance scaled renewable energy access as part of just energy transitions in African countries; the publication of four (4) journal articles; the publication of four (4) policy briefs; and the publication of a journal special edition on the financing and operationalising of just energy transitions in Africa.

This Postdoctoral Fellowship will be hosted by the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship, a transdisciplinary research unit at the University of Pretoria. Candidates with relevant proficiency in the thematic focus from any disciplinary background are encouraged to apply.

Click here to apply and more information.