What is the Just Transition?
* Ref: Greenpeace definition
However, it carries the risk of negative social and economic impact for those who are most vulnerable or dependent on high-carbon sectors, and some of those impacts are already evident in UK communities.
The just transition calls for proactive measures to assess and minimise the risks to people and communities, and to maximise the opportunities a low-carbon world can bring. It requires meaningful and long-term participation between stakeholders, including workers, communities, suppliers, consumers, governments and businesses.
The just transition is already gaining traction from regional and national government, for example Newham Council were the first local council to launch their Just Transition plan, and we have already seen clear direction on applying the just transition to the built environment from Scottish Government and Welsh Government.
To respond to our customers’ current and future concerns around the effect our industry’s decarbonisation efforts has on people and communities. We will establish and seed-fund regional projects which bring together and organise multiple stakeholders in a single geographic area to progress a ‘just’ (fair and inclusive) transition to net zero.
Our ambition for the built environment is that these projects will develop and support local, future-proofed supply chains who draw their talent from – and thereby improve the wellbeing of – disadvantaged groups and communities.
