Experts call on Scottish Government to set just transition targets, supported by research from SPS academic
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New research involving School of Social and Political Science (SPS) academic Dr Kirsten E H Jenkins is calling on the Scottish Government to deliver a world first by setting quantifiable targets for achieving a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
Dr Jenkins, a Senior Lecturer in Energy, Environment and Society at SPS, was part of an expert team working with the Just Transition Commission, an independent advisory body that is lobbying the Scottish Government to set equitable transition targets. Others in the research team included Kaja Horn from the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences and researchers from the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations.
The experts have developed a world-leading monitoring and evaluation framework for the just transition in Scotland, to ensure that a switch to a low-carbon economy is fair for everyone. The resulting report, titled ‘Measuring and Evaluating Success in the Scottish Just Transition’, has informed a Just Transition Commission action plan to reduce fossil fuel dependency without damaging communities that currently rely on the industry.
The Just Transition Commission’s annual report, published on 12 December, was informed by the research and warns that Scotland risks ‘going backwards’ in its efforts to protect vulnerable workers and communities unless goals are fixed. The Commission has called for groundbreaking policy innovation, urging the Scottish Government to establish world-first quantifiable targets that ensure economic change benefits everyone.
The report highlights the complexity of measuring social and economic fairness during massive industrial shifts, emphasising that what gets measured ultimately gets addressed. The commission’s message is that Scotland must act decisively and strategically to ensure no community or worker is left behind in the journey towards a sustainable economic future.
Key recommendations include developing precise interim targets aligned with carbon budgets, to prevent job market disruptions that could force skilled workers to seek opportunities elsewhere.
While acknowledging existing delays in climate policy development, the report remains optimistic that a robust legacy can still be achieved through forward-thinking leadership.
Read the University of Edinburgh news story.
Read Measuring and Evaluating Success in the Scottish Just Transition here.