Effective just transitions require locally driven solutions that prioritize inclusion, agency, and accountability, ensuring that communities, cities, and national policies align to create equitable and sustainable economic opportunities.
Addressing climate change and environmental challenges requires solutions that are locally grounded and tailored to meet the needs of workers, families, and communities. The Laudes Foundation, along with the Wallace Global Fund and Ford Foundation, studied 632 local initiatives and found that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work — effective transitions must be shaped by local contexts. Key to this effort is fostering inclusion, agency, and accountability, ensuring that marginalized communities have a voice in decision-making, the power to influence policies, and that all stakeholders are held responsible for equitable outcomes.
Several initiatives demonstrate the impact of local action, such as the Green Consortium in Jharkhand, India, which has reskilled over 8,000 coal workers for green jobs by redirecting existing government funds. Similarly, cities play a crucial role in just transitions by implementing locally driven sustainability strategies. For example, C40 Cities developed a toolkit for mayors to support urban transformation, highlighting how New Delhi successfully phased out diesel generators without raising electricity costs by engaging affected communities in decision-making. These cases show that balancing environmental goals with economic and social equity requires direct community participation.
At the national level, organizations like the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) ensure that just transition strategies reflect workers’ realities. The ITUC’s Just Transition Centre has helped incorporate labor concerns into national climate policies, earning recognition for bridging the gap between policy and lived experience. While local action is essential, broader global factors—such as trade policies and financial systems—also influence the success of just transitions. To achieve meaningful progress, governments, businesses, investors, and philanthropists must collaborate to develop policies, unlock funding, and drive systemic change rooted in equity and sustainability.
FULL STORY: Why a local approach to the just transition is so important — and so effective
Equity in Energy: Protecting Livelihoods and Restoring Communities
The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy must be equitable, ensuring that workers receive support, communities are revitalized, and degraded lands are restored to create a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Just Transition: Bringing Equity to the Clean Energy Conversation
A new report from the Environmental Defense Fund offers a roadmap for countries, energy companies, and other stakeholders to navigate the complexities of transitioning to clean energy while ensuring equity at every step of the process.
Art in Action: USC Event Calls for an Urgent Green Energy Transition
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The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
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San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
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Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
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SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line
Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research