Just Transition and Climate Justice
The effects and impacts of climate change are being felt globally, however, the burdens of these impacts are not felt equitably across communities of people. Systems transformations in the energy sector are phasing out fossil fuels and scaling up renewable energy – at a scale and pace that can be socially disruptive. Similarly, how climate solutions impact people and communities does matter to social justice and equality. Climate justice, and measures to implement just transitions, begin by recognizing that key groups are affected by climate change differently, and that climate solutions require a greater understanding of these differences and how they can be addressed. Just transitions can provide a framework for action to ensure that shifting development paths towards a sustainable, carbon-neutral economy, happens in a fair way. A just transitions framework needs to recognize people’s social and economic opportunities, and specifically in a way that does not exacerbate existing social inequalities. This collection showcases current research on climate justice and just transitions, with respect to strategies, policy assessments, frameworks, national case studies, and identifying and managing social justice outcomes across a wide range of contexts.