MORGANTOWN, W.Va.— A free public education workshop to be held in Charleston, West Virginia, will explore how the state’s communities can respond to the world’s transition to new energy sources and technology.
“Leaving No One Behind: Ensuring a Fair Transition for Workers and Communities” will be held on February 5 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Admission is free, but registration is required for seating. Please visit energy.law.wvu.edu/transition for more information.
The workshop is hosted by the Center for Energy and Sustainable Development at the West Virginia University College of Law, the West Virginia Center on Climate Change, and the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy.
“The nation’s energy industry is undergoing a major transition, and West Virginia is bearing the brunt of it through the loss of coal jobs and the adverse economic impacts in the southern part of the state,“ said James Van Nostrand, director of the Center for Energy and Sustainable Development. “This program will give attendees the chance to learn from top national experts about the economic and political opportunities and obstacles for creating a fair transition for all.”
Presenters at the workshop will examine the economic implications of transitioning to a low-carbon economy and discuss topics such as carbon pricing, solar energy development and labor force issues.
The keynote speaker is Adele Morris, senior fellow and policy director for Climate and Energy Economics at the Brookings Institution. Morris is a leading expert on carbon pricing policies and the use of resulting revenues to fund a fair transition for displaced energy workers.
Also presenting will be Evan Hansen, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates; Ted Boettner, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy; and Ann Eisenberg, a law professor at the University of South Carolina.
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