It’s not enough to reduce carbon emissions and curb climate change. Both the future we create and the way we get there need to be just and equitable. That means centering the communities who are most at risk and who have already suffered the most.

The Just Transition Alliance (jtalliance.org) describes “Just Transition” as a principle, a process, and a practice:

• The principle is that a healthy economy and clean environment for all should co-exist; we don’t need to sacrifice one for the other.
• The process is a fair one, in which both workers and community residents retain (or increase) their health, environment, jobs, and economic assets.
• The practice is that the people who have been most affected by pollution and who are most at risk should be centered and lead in the efforts to create policy solutions.

When you learn about policy proposals or industry changes, ask who’s at the table. Communities most affected, including workers whose jobs will disappear during a clean-energy transition, must be engaged in policy discussions.

Think critically about how investments are made. Who can take advantage of tax incentives, for example? Are communities with greater resources better able to jump through bureaucratic hurdles to access programs? Let policymakers know you expect affected communities to advise how investments should be structured.

When in doubt, follow the lead of local and regional environmental justice groups.