The idea of transforming our economies and societies must have equity or justice at its center as the transition fromthe current unsustainable patterns of production and consumption to a more sustainable system is bound to have winnersand losers. Advocates of climate justice take a human rights approach to sharing the costs and benefits of adjusting toclimate change. By contrast, energy justice usually focuses on access to energy as a human right. And environmentaljustice emphasizes the agency of people and seeks to involve them in environmental decision making.All three approaches touch on the political economy of a transition to more sustainable economies and societies.Any just transition will be a delicate balancing act. The concept of a just transition is not merely a technical process ofmoving from a fossil fuel–based to a low-carbon system, it is a political process. The status quo is not only disruptingplanetary processes but also perpetuating inequalities. With this in mind, green innovation alone would not suffice to makethe transition happen in the first place or to ensure that it is just. A just transition would require creating political coalitionsamong social and environmental movements, minority groups, labor unions, people employed in the energy sectors andengaged local communities.

[1] In a way, the idea of a just transition gets to the core of sustainability. [2] The aspiration of a transition to a justand sustainable human environment has been discussed since at least the mid-1980s. [3] Rather than a fixed state we areaiming to reach, sustainability can be seen as a process of debate and

inclusive deliberation

. [4] This view of sustainabilityas a process of exploring social, technological and environmental pathways recognizes that different stakeholders viewsustainability in different ways and have diverging narratives about what is or is not sustainable. [5] This implies the needto identify, in each case, the actors, their framing of the situation and their emphasis. [6] This socially complex view ofsustainability also implies that governments are not the only policy agents and that there is an important role for citizenengagement and mobilization, protest and coalition building.

Source: Human Development Report, 2020 (with modifications)

No. 1

What can we conclude from the text?

A.The most important point of a just transition is that all stakeholders involved agree that no matter what it takes,there should be a shift from fossil-fuel based energy to cleaner, low-carbon alternatives.

B.Human needs must set the direction for a just transition to occur. Sustainability won’t be achieved if human rights,the utmost priority, are not taken into the equation.

C.Just transition is essential to sustainability. A just transition revolves around the idea that not only environmentalconcerns, but also social concerns, are relevant to sustainability.

D.Governments as the authorities should not be the only ones defining what a just transition is. Rather, everystakeholder affected by environmental concerns should also help.

E.Transition to a low-carbon society can perpetuate inequality if we are not careful. Therefore, each of us shouldfight to be heard in achieving environmental sustainability.