Last week the JUST-Systems team chaired a powerful conversation at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) on how we can achieve a just transition to Net Zero.
The symposium, "Action on a Whole Systems Approach to Achieving a Sustainable and Just Transition for All", was part of the From Vision to Action: Global Insights with Satya Tripathi programme and supported by Action for a Fairer World, the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and NESCAN Hub.
Our keynote speaker, Dr Satya S Tripathi—Director-General of the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet and former UN Assistant Secretary-General—set the stage with a compelling call for urgent, people-centred climate action. We were joined on the panel by Assoc. Professor Jen Dickie (University of Stirling & Deputy Director of JUST-Systems), Dr Andrew Sudmant (ECCI & SFC EHL), and Alison Stuart (NESCAN & Aberdeen Climate Action). We explored how whole systems thinking can drive a fair and inclusive transition. A common theme emerged: multiple forms of justice—climate, social, energy and economic—are deeply intertwined. Without care, existing governance systems can reinforce these divisions, leaving vulnerable communities to carry the heaviest burden of change. We highlighted the need to:
- Put communities at the centre of Net Zero planning.
- Align local energy systems, community wealth building, and place-based retrofit to create tangible benefits such as warmer homes and lower bills.
- Build inclusive governance so that policies empower rather than marginalise.