J. Mijin Cha's "A Just Transition for All" provides a comprehensive framework for achieving a just transition away from fossil fuels. The book combines theoretical discussions with empirical research, offering insights into the perceptions of just transition among various stakeholders. Cha introduces the "Four+ Pillars" governance framework, guiding readers on formulating effective policies and identifying factors contributing to just or unjust transitions. The book emphasizes the need for strong governmental support, dedicated funding, economic diversification, and strong coalitions to ensure an equitable and sustainable future. It challenges the limitations of green capitalism and advocates for non-reformist reforms to address systemic inequalities.
To meet the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, a transition away from fossil fuels must occur, as quickly as possible. But there are many unknowns when it comes to moving from theory to implementation for such a large-scale energy transition, to say nothing of whether this transition will be “just.”
In A Just Transition for All: Workers and Communities for a Carbon-Free Future (MIT Press, 2024), J. Mijin Cha—a seasoned climate policy researcher who also works with advocacy organizations and unions—offers a comprehensive analysis of how we can actualize a just transition in the U.S. context and enact transformational changes that meaningfully improve people’s lives. Cha provides a novel governance framework called the “Four+ Pillars,” formulated from original research to provide a way to move from theory to practice. The “Pillars” framework includes a novel analysis that guides readers in understanding how to formulate effective just transition policies, what makes them just or unjust, and, similarly, what makes transition just and unjust. The framework also combines theoretical discussions with original empirical research and provides insights into perceptions of just transition. Grounded in real-world perspectives that make the case for policies that advance a just transition for all, not just fossil fuel workers, Cha charts the path forward to an equitable and sustainable future that no longer depends on fossil fuels.
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New Books in Science, Technology, and Society