Transitions for zero carbon futures: From just to generous

Abstract

The ‘just transition’ concept has gained popularity in recent years and is being widely applied as a guiding concept within policy frameworks promoting low carbon transitions. Justice is at the heart of much of the policy rhetoric surrounding these transitions, favoured for the emphasis it places on fairness, equity and inclusivity. The use of justice as the guiding virtue for the transition has remained largely unquestioned. This paper examines the concept of just transition and experiments with positioning generosity as a guiding principle. It is argued that this may enable a more transformative, inclusive zero carbon future that prioritises wellbeing over mere survival. This does not seek to position a just transition and a generous transition in direct opposition to one another, instead intending to highlight how the concept of generosity might act as a catalyst for or complement to justice.