A just energy transition for a hydrocarbon rich SIDS

Trinidad and Tobago, a hydrocarbon economy and a Caribbean small island developing state (SIDS), transitioned from oil to 100% natural gas as a feedstock in its power generation sector in the 1980's. The island state is now entering its second energy transition to include renewables in its power generation sector to support the fulfilment of its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement on climate change. As such, the time is appropriate to examine if energy justice is accommodated in energy policies. This study reviewed the existing national energy policies and evaluated them through the lens of energy justice. Some tenets of energy justice have alreadybeen outlined in native studies, national policy documents and recent activities. However, it is recommended that an overarching framework on energy justice is needed to embed the key tenets of energy justice into its current and future energy policy framework and to support existing policies and policymakers in enabling a just and inclusive energy transition as Trinidad and Tobago pursues the inclusion of renewables for power generation. Other small island economies undergoing such an energy transition can adopt this approach to apply an overarching energy justice framework which considers existing energy policies.