European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE), an independent advisory body to the European Commission, has published its Opinion ‘Towards a Just Green Transition: Addressing structural inequities’. The Opinion was requested to provide guidance in the context of the Commission’s continuing efforts to ensure a just Green Transition that ‘leaves no one behind’.
The Green Transition is not only a shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. It entails political, social, economic, and cultural change. Both climate impacts and climate action can disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, including low-income communities, remote regions, and women, who face structural barriers in accessing green jobs and adaptation measures. Without justice-focused policies, these inequalities risk deepening, eroding public trust, and provoking social backlash.
The EU has been establishing a comprehensive framework that aims to ensure that the Green Transition is socially fair, inclusive, and equitable. The request for the EGE’s advice stems from the need to continuously improve and adapt this framework.