24.5 Justice, Equity, And A Just Energy Transition

Understanding Justice in the Energy Transition

A transition to renewable energy is not only a technical or economic process. It is also a social transformation that affects people, communities, and regions in very different ways. Justice and equity in this transition concern who benefits, who bears the costs, who participates in decision making, and how societies address past and present inequalities that are often closely linked to energy and resource use.

A just energy transition aims to decarbonize economies while improving, not worsening, social conditions. It connects climate and energy policies with human rights, labor rights, and development priorities. In practice, this means asking questions such as whose land is used for projects, whose jobs are at risk from changes in industries, who can afford new technologies, and who has a voice in planning.

Forms of Justice in the Energy Transition

Several complementary ideas of justice help to clarify what a fair transition should look like. Three are particularly important for energy debates: distributive justice, procedural justice, and recognition justice.

Distributive justice is about how benefits and burdens are shared. In the energy transition, benefits include cleaner air, new jobs, lower long-term energy costs, and improved energy access. Burdens include job losses in fossil fuel sectors, higher short-term costs for certain consumers, visual and environmental impacts of infrastructure, and the risks of mining critical minerals. A just transition seeks to distribute these benefits and burdens in ways that are fair and that pay particular attention to people who are already disadvantaged.

Procedural justice concerns fair and transparent decision making. Communities and workers should have opportunities to participate meaningfully in decisions about energy projects and policies. This means access to information, the ability to influence outcomes, and processes that are not biased toward the most powerful actors. It also requires that consultations are conducted in appropriate languages and formats, and at times and locations that are accessible to affected groups.

Recognition justice focuses on whose perspectives, identities, and histories are acknowledged or ignored. Some groups, such as Indigenous peoples, low-income communities, or historically marginalized ethnic groups, may have experienced long-term exploitation or neglect through past energy and resource projects. A just transition recognizes these histories, respects different cultural relationships with land and nature, and values diverse knowledge systems.

Global and Historical Inequalities

Energy systems are deeply intertwined with global power relations. Historically, industrialized countries have emitted most greenhouse gases, yet many of the most severe climate impacts fall on low-income countries that contributed least to the problem. At the same time, many of these countries still lack reliable access to modern energy services, which are vital for development.

A just energy transition must therefore consider two dimensions at once. First, high-income countries need to reduce emissions rapidly and support lower income countries with finance, technology, and capacity building. Second, developing countries need space to expand access to sustainable energy and to grow economically, while avoiding the most polluting pathways.

There are also historical inequalities within countries. In many places, fossil fuel extraction and large energy infrastructure have been located in poorer or politically weaker regions, leaving local communities with pollution, health impacts, and land loss. When transitioning to renewables, there is a risk that similar patterns repeat, only with new technologies. Justice requires actively avoiding this repetition and addressing legacies of harm where possible.

Workers, Regions, and the End of Fossil Fuel Industries

Many people work in coal mining, oil and gas extraction, power plants, refineries, and related industries. As economies decarbonize, some of these jobs will disappear or change significantly. If this process is unmanaged, it can lead to unemployment, declining local economies, and social tensions, particularly in regions that depend heavily on fossil industries.

A just transition for workers means planning deliberately for these changes. This includes early and honest dialogue with unions and workers, clear long-term timelines for phase-out of high-emission activities, and public policies that support affected workers and regions. Examples include retraining programs, income support during transitions, investments in new industries in affected regions, and measures to preserve social services and community life.

It is also important to recognize that jobs in the renewable sector are not automatically decent jobs. Justice requires attention to wages, health and safety, workers’ rights, and opportunities for local employment rather than relying solely on imported labor. Without such attention, new green industries could reproduce poor working conditions.

Communities, Land, and Resource Extraction

Renewable technologies require land and natural resources. Large solar parks, wind farms, hydropower reservoirs, and mining activities for critical minerals can all affect local communities and ecosystems. Justice and equity in this context mean that projects should not simply be imposed on communities, especially not on those who have historically had little power.

Land rights are central here. In many regions, Indigenous peoples and local communities hold customary or traditional rights to land and water, even if these rights are not always fully recognized in formal law. A just energy transition respects these rights and the principle of free, prior, and informed consent. This principle means that affected communities should be consulted before decisions are made, provided with full information in advance, and allowed to accept or reject projects without coercion.

There is also a justice dimension to the extraction of minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements used in batteries, wind turbines, and other technologies. Many of these resources are located in regions with weak labor protections, limited environmental regulation, or histories of conflict. A fair transition requires supply chains that minimize environmental damage, protect workers, and ensure that local populations share in the economic benefits rather than bearing only the harms of extraction.

Energy Poverty and Access in the Transition

The move toward cleaner energy must not leave behind people who already face energy poverty. Energy poverty describes situations in which households or communities cannot access reliable, affordable, and clean energy for basic needs like cooking, heating, cooling, lighting, and communication. In some countries this is a question of physical access to electricity. In others it is more about affordability of energy bills or dependence on polluting fuels.

A just transition integrates the reduction of energy poverty as a key goal. This can involve expanding renewable mini grids, off-grid systems, and clean cooking solutions in rural areas, and improving building efficiency and tariff design in urban areas so that low-income households are protected from energy price shocks. It also requires attention to the digital divide because many modern energy systems rely on digital communication, smart meters, and mobile payments.

Ensuring equitable access means designing policies that shield vulnerable consumers from sudden price increases that might occur as old subsidies are removed or as new technologies are introduced. Targeted support, social safety nets, and thoughtful pricing structures can help manage these transitions while maintaining incentives for efficiency and conservation.

Gender, Social Inclusion, and Power Relations

Energy systems reflect broader social structures, including gender roles and inequalities. In many parts of the world, women are more likely to be responsible for collecting traditional fuels, managing household energy use, and caring for family members affected by pollution or extreme weather. At the same time, women are often underrepresented in energy decision making, technical training, and leadership positions in the sector.

A just transition pays attention to these dynamics and seeks to enhance gender equality and social inclusion. This can mean ensuring that women and marginalized groups are included in consultations, benefit from training and employment opportunities in new energy industries, and have access to finance for household or small business energy solutions. It also means designing technologies and services that respond to the needs and constraints of different social groups, rather than assuming a single typical user.

Other forms of social exclusion, related to class, ethnicity, disability, or migration status, can similarly shape who gains or loses from energy transitions. Justice in this context involves systematic efforts to identify who is at risk of being left out and to design interventions that actively broaden participation and benefits.

Intergenerational Justice and Long-Term Perspectives

The energy choices made today will shape the lives of future generations. Fossil fuel use produces greenhouse gases that remain in the atmosphere for long periods. Infrastructure built now, such as power plants, buildings, and transport systems, can lock in emission patterns for decades. Intergenerational justice is concerned with what present generations owe to future ones.

From this perspective, a just energy transition places significant weight on avoiding severe climate impacts that would limit the opportunities and well-being of people in the future. At the same time, it questions whether it is fair to postpone necessary changes so that current generations can continue with high-emission lifestyles. Balancing the urgency of action with fairness to those who may suffer near-term economic adjustment is a central ethical challenge.

Intergenerational justice also involves thinking about long-term environmental integrity. Renewable energy systems should be developed in ways that remain sustainable over many decades, including responsible use of materials, careful management of waste, and protection of ecosystems that future generations will depend on.

Responsibility, Capability, and International Cooperation

Justice in the global energy transition raises questions about which countries should act first and fastest, and who should finance the shift to low-carbon systems. Two common ethical ideas are often discussed: responsibility and capability.

Responsibility refers to the contribution that different actors have made to the problem, historically and currently. Countries with high cumulative emissions and high per capita emissions are generally seen as having greater responsibility to reduce emissions and support others. Capability refers to the economic and technological capacity to act. Wealthier countries and companies often have more resources to invest in clean technologies and adaptation measures.

Combining these ideas, a just global transition would see those with greater responsibility and capability providing more financial support, technology transfer, and capacity building to those with fewer resources and lower historical emissions. This support can help low- and middle-income countries to leapfrog to cleaner systems, rather than being locked into polluting infrastructure. It can also fund measures to adapt to climate impacts that are already occurring.

Operationalizing this principle is complex and politically sensitive. It involves negotiations over climate finance, technology access, and development pathways. However, it remains central to debates about fairness in global energy and climate governance.

Conflict, Resistance, and Trust

Transitions are rarely smooth. Conflicts often arise around specific projects, such as wind farms, transmission lines, or mines for critical minerals. Some conflicts are rooted in local environmental concerns or land disputes. Others reflect deeper frustrations with inequality, lack of respect, or broken promises from previous development initiatives.

Justice and equity are not only goals but also practical tools to reduce conflict and build trust. Transparent processes, early involvement of affected communities, fair compensation where appropriate, and genuine openness to changing or cancelling projects based on feedback can all make a difference. When communities feel ignored or misled, opposition hardens and can delay or derail even technically sound projects.

Building trust also requires consistent behavior over time. Governments, companies, and other actors need to show that when they commit to human rights, environmental protection, or community benefits, they follow through in practice and not only in written plans.

Pathways to a Just Energy Transition

Achieving justice and equity in the energy transition is an ongoing process rather than a single action or policy. It requires integrating social and ethical considerations into planning, regulation, finance, and technological development. While specific measures vary across countries and contexts, several broad directions are clear.

First, social dialogue and participation should be embedded in transition planning from the beginning. This includes involving workers, communities, civil society organizations, and local authorities in discussions of phase-out schedules, new investments, and regional development strategies.

Second, policies should be designed with explicit attention to vulnerable groups, including low-income households, fossil fuel dependent regions, Indigenous peoples, and those facing energy poverty. Targeted support can help them manage changes and share fairly in new opportunities.

Third, international cooperation must address the asymmetries of power and resources in the global system. Climate finance, equitable trade and investment in clean technologies, and transparent supply chains are all part of a more just global transition.

Finally, monitoring and learning are essential. Assessing who is benefiting and who is being harmed by transition policies and projects, and adjusting approaches accordingly, can help steer pathways toward greater fairness over time.

A just energy transition does not occur automatically as a byproduct of cleaner technologies. It is the result of conscious choices to align climate and energy action with broader goals of justice, equity, and human dignity, both within societies and across the world.