Towards a Theory of Just Transition: A Neo-Gramscian Understanding of How to Shift Development Pathways to Zero Poverty and Zero Carbon
January 24, 2023
Towards a theory of just transitions:
A neo-Gramscian understanding of how to shift development pathways to zero poverty and zero carbon
1. Introduction: background and gaps in theorizing just transitions
What are the fundamental challenges of a just transition? Rapid and deep climate action creates winners and losers, yet this action takes place in a world with persistent inequality. Just transition is a vision but needs to be more than that. In this article, I advance a theory of how coalitions of change agents can come together behind a just transition in order to transform the fundamental conditions of the 21st century. We need to understand better how a just transition can shift development paths to achieve net zero emissions and eliminate poverty.
A theory of just transitions needs to explain how to shift from high- to low-carbon development paths, while ensuring no one is left behind. The objectives of this article are, firstly, to advance a neo-Gramscian theory of a just transition and, secondly, to apply it in aid of a better understanding of shifting development pathways to zero carbon and zero poverty (ZPZC). The article builds on neo-Gramscian theory as applied earlier applied to climate change (see section Error! Reference source not found.).
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