Canberra, 1 December 2025 – Two new nationally significant reports released today by the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA), deliver a multifaceted view on the research needed for Australia to ensure fairness and inclusion are embedded into policy and industry practice for Australia’s energy transition. These reports form a critical part of ACOLA’s Australian Energy Transition Research Plan (AETRP), which sets out a coordinated national research agenda to support an evidence-based energy transition.
Following the Federal government’s recent announcement to reduce national carbon emissions by 62-70% below 2005 levels by 2035 and to reach 82% renewable electricity by 2030, the twin reports – Vulnerability and Australia’s Energy Transition by Professor Sara Bice and Dr Richard Parsons and Examining JUST Energy Metrics: Exploring Australian Research Priorities by Associate Professor Madeline Taylor – offer an evidence-backed blueprint for fair, inclusive energy transition planning. Without such measures, Australia’s pathway to net zero risks deepening inequities among already marginalised communities.
“These reports deliver vital evidence and clear direction at a crucial moment for Australia’s energy future,” said ACOLA CEO Prerana Mehta. “As we accelerate towards net zero, policymakers and industry must ensure that people—not just infrastructure or investment—remain at the centre of decision-making.”
Vulnerability and Australia’s Energy Transition
This report finds that Australia’s energy transition will affect every household and community—positively for some, but with risks for others. ACOLA’s analysis on the latest available Australian data shows:
- Vulnerability is complex and multidimensional, shaped by socio-economic and demographic factors such as income, health, Indigeneity, gender, age, ability, housing status and geography. Research gaps persist in identifying which people and regions are most susceptible to harm, and why — further social research is critical to guide more equitable policy and ensure the transition is fair.
- Technical solutions alone are insufficient – community trust and inclusion are paramount so that benefits are shared fairly.
The report identifies 12 priority research topics structured around the Vulnerability Scoping Diagram framework to guide evidence-informed policy and identify where risks occur and how to build resilience.
“Australia’s energy transition is fundamentally about people as much as technology,” said Professor Sara Bice, lead author of the report. “Our research shows that without deliberate action to identify and assist vulnerable groups – whether they are low-income households, remote communities or others – the transition could deepen existing inequalities. A fair transition demands that we recognise who is at risk, understand why, and respond with inclusive policies grounded in evidence.”
“If we invest in a genuine dialogue with communities, building local capabilities and designing policies that reflect people’s lived realities, the energy transition can become a source of resilience rather than another layer of disadvantage.” said Dr Richard Parsons, co-author of Vulnerability and Australia’s Energy Transition.
Examining JUST Energy Metrics: Exploring Australian Research Priorities
This report identifies urgent and strategic research gaps and highlights how developing a national JUST framework, with relevant metrics, can strengthen public trust and transparency, improve decision-making, and guide a just and inclusive clean energy transition.
The report highlights the need for consistent, transparent and evidence-based measures of justice—spanning distributive, procedural, recognition, recognition, spatial, and time justice indicators. These metrics may help governments better identify who benefits, who bears the costs, and where inequities emerge across regions and communities to develop targeted and measured policy responses.
“Developing Australian-specific and robust metrics through collaboration and co-design can support regulators and policymakers to make informed policy decisions that increase efficiencies, reduce costs and manage risks – ensuring that just, social and economic benefits are distributed inclusively and fairly within our energy transformation.” said Associate Professor Madeline Taylor, author of the report.
Key insights from the report reveal that:
- Australia currently lacks a nationally unified framework to measure energy justice across the energy transition.
- The JUST framework—Justice, Universality, Space and Time—offers a potential structure to guide development of meaningful and cost-effective metrics in our energy transition.
- Immediate priorities include metrics for stakeholder engagement, Indigenous-led engagement metrics, and regional strategic impact assessments.
- High-priority opportunities include renewable energy recycling and employment metrics, consumer energy resources indicators, and community wellbeing indices.
Together, the reports provide a blueprint for ensuring Australia’s transition to clean energy is socially fair, locally informed, and globally leading. ACOLA invites federal and state governments, industry stakeholders, and community leaders to engage with the report findings and work in partnership towards an energy transition that is inclusive, just, and grounded in interdisciplinary research and evidence.
“Now that we have a clear decarbonisation trajectory to 2030, 2035 and beyond, humanities and social science research will play an increasingly enabling role in coming years to help unlock the contribution of technologies to the energy transition.” said Prof Ken Baldwin, chair of the ACOLA Australian Energy Transition Research Plan (AETRP).
Media notes:
For interview requests with report authors, Professor Sara Bice, Dr Richard Parsons and Associate Professor Madeline Taylor or ACOLA CEO, Prerana Mehta and ACOLA AETRP chair Prof Ken Baldwin, please contact ACOLA, Engagement Manager, Ramesha Perera at: E: ramesha.perera@acola.org.au P: 0491 911 288
