Beyond the Just Transition: a critical inquiries from the pluriverse

Leal Filho, Walter ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1241-5225 and Pons-Giralt, Maikel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7634-0103 (2024) Beyond the Just Transition: a critical inquiries from the pluriverse. Environmental Sciences Europe, 36 (1). 201. ISSN 2190-4715

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Abstract

The “Just Transition” concept aims to ensure an equitable shift toward low-carbon economies by minimizing negative impacts on workers, communities, and vulnerable sectors, while inclusively distributing the benefits of environmental policies. However, this process faces structural and conceptual barriers that extend beyond technical challenges, such as the lack of effective participation, power dynamics, persistent inequalities, and tensions between economic growth and sustainability. This work transcends traditional notions by adopting a plural and critical perspective from the Pluriverse to explore the challenges and opportunities in reshaping the Just Transition. We argue that integrating local knowledge and adopting epistemic justice approaches are essential for designing transitions that not only mitigate the climate crisis but also promote autonomy, social equity, and ecological regeneration.