Events

Join an exclusive gathering of Australia’s energy, justice and consumer advocate sector leaders for an action-focused workshop on energy justice and community equity.

The Challenge

As Australia transitions to more sustainable energy sources, it’s clear that the benefits and burdens of this shift are not being shared equally. While some communities enjoy greater access to clean, affordable energy, others are forced to choose between heating or cooling their homes or putting food on the table, or are being left behind, bearing disproportionate costs.

This inequality is at the heart of the challenge our Energy & Justice Mini Sprint aims to address. This mini sprint brings together influential participants to help shape practical policy practices for an equitable energy transition.

Guest Speaker

Shalanda Baker stands at the forefront of global energy justice reform. As the Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan. Her groundbreaking work ensures that diverse, remote, and low-income communities not only benefit from clean energy transitions but are protected from disproportionate climate impacts. Author of “Revolutionary Power: An Activist’s Guide to the Energy Transition,” Shalanda offers practical strategies for embedding justice in energy policy. Her work in advancing equity across all communities mirrors the challenges faced in some of Australia’s rural and Indigenous communities navigating the energy transition.

Read full bio

Shalanda H. Baker is the inaugural Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan and a globally recognized scholar of energy justice. Before joining the University of Michigan, Shalanda served as the Senate-confirmed Director of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity, Secretarial Advisor on Equity, and Chief Diversity Officer at the United States Department of Energy. At the Department, she served as the architect of the agency’s equity and justice efforts. Prior to that, she served in the Biden-Harris Administration as the nation’s first Deputy Director for Energy Justice.

 

She has spent over a decade conducting research on the equity dimensions of the global transition away from fossil fuel energy to cleaner energy resources. Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Shalanda was a Professor of Law, Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, where she taught courses on renewable energy law, energy policy, and the energy transition. While at Northeastern, Shalanda also co-founded and co-directed the Initiative for Energy Justice (www.iejusa.org), an organization committed to providing technical law and policy support to communities on the frontlines of climate change. Ms. Baker has also served as an associate professor of law at the University of Hawai’i William S. Richardson School of Law, where she was the founding director of the Energy Justice Program. Prior to that, she served on the faculty at the University of San Francisco School of Law.

 

Shalanda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the United States Air Force Academy, a Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law, and an LLM from the University of Wisconsin School of Law, where she also served as a William H. Hastie Fellow. She has authored numerous articles, book chapters, and essays on renewable energy law, energy policy, and international development. In 2015, she was awarded a 2016-17 Fulbright-García Robles grant to explore Mexico’s energy reform, climate change, and indigenous rights. Her book, Revolutionary Power: An Activist’s Guide to the Energy Transition, argues that energy policy is the next domain to advance civil rights (Island Press 2021).

Ms. Baker is a former Air Force officer and, prior to joining the legal academy, she worked as a corporate and project finance attorney in Boston and Tokyo.

Agenda

  • 09:45 – 10:00 – Arrival and morning tea
  • 10.00 – 10:05 – Welcome
  • 10:05 – 10:25 – Expert Insights: Shalanda Baker
  • 10:25 – 10:30 – Q&A
  • 10:30 – 10:35 – An Australian Perspective
  • 10:35 – 11:05 – Facilitated Discussion: Applying Energy Justice Principles in Australia
  • 11:05 – 11:20 – Action Planning: Developing Concrete Next Steps
  • 11:20 – 11:30 –  Wrap-up

 

FAQ’s

Q: What is a Mini Sprint?

This focused format creates space for genuine exploration and collaborative thinking. Our mini sprint aims to:

  • Explore key questions and challenges from diverse perspectives
  • Identify promising areas for further investigation and research
  • Learn from international experience while acknowledging our local context
  • Build connections between leaders working on similar challenges
  • Generate new ways of thinking about energy equity in Australia

Q: What makes this format unique?

  • Selected participants to ensure meaningful dialogue
  • Action-oriented discussions rather than passive listening
  • Immediate focus on practical, implementable solutions
  • Interactive format encouraging all voices to be heard

Q: What should I prepare?

Come ready to share your expertise. We encourage you to reflect on current energy justice challenges in your sector prior to the session.

Q: What outcomes can I expect?

  • Insights from a global energy justice expert
  • Practical ideas for implementing energy justice principles
  • Connections with key sector leaders
  • Collaboration

Hosted by CPRC and supported by ECA,

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