Economic inequality and sustainability transitions

The dual challenge of rising economic inequality and climate crisis is at the forefront of societal debates. Addressing this challenge, we have witnessed the integration of “energy justice” frameworks into transition scholarship (Jenkins, 2018), refinement of the initially labour-oriented “just transitions” approach (Mccauly & Heffron, 2018), and in policy circles, proposals for a “Green New Deal”. In this session we further unpack the political economy of sustainability transitions in the context of rising inequality. Specifically, we consider the effect of socio-economic conditions on the politics, implementation and effect of sustainability policies, and conversely, the effect of sustainability policies on socio-economic conditions. Given the scope of these topics, we address them in an interdisciplinary conversation between transition scholars, political economists, and scholars/practitioners of innovation policy.