Jesse Burton is a researcher in the Energy Systems Research group at the University of Cape Town and a senior associate at global thinktank E3G, where she provides analysis and policy advice on coal transitions globally.

She is a specialist in coal and electricity markets and energy and climate change policy in South Africa. Her research focuses on the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition for coal dependent countries, including just transition strategies.

Her research has quantified and examined the politics of fossil fuel subsidies in South Africa, the cost and greenhouse gas implications of future coal investments, the costs and risks of stranded assets in the South African energy sector, and the economics of coal-fired power and coal mining. She led the South African team of the global Coal Transitions research project, which examined the implications of fossil fuel economics and climate policy on large coal countries, including labour market effects. Recent projects have included the development of an electricity plan for South Africa in the context of global climate policy goals, analysis of the employment and skills impacts of future electricity pathways, and strategies for implementing a just transition for coal workers and communities in South Africa.

Jesse is a member of the Just Transition taskforce of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, sits on the Advisory Board for the National Business Initiative Just Transition Pathways Project, is a member of the Mpumalanga Green Economy Cluster steering committee, and is an industry working group member for the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan. She has lectured widely at postgraduate level on energy and climate change topics, including convening the ‘Introduction to Energy Policy and Sustainable Energy Engineering’ course and coordinating the postgraduate programme at the (former) Energy Research Centre at UCT.

Jesse holds a BA (Hons) in History from Rhodes University and MSc in Energy and Development Studies from the University of Cape Town.