Put common good at the heart of public policy to deliver a Just Transition

Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges we face; how we adapt and mitigate and manage this transition now will in large part determine the type of world in which future generations will live. A Just Transition is essential to managing the social, environmental and economic transformation that climate change will bring.  When designing and implementing just transition policies, we should not only be working towards meeting our climate obligations, but simultaneously improving living standards, building a thriving and sustainable economy and addressing existing inequalities.  Policies for the common good are at the core of any just transition.

Transition is not just about reducing emissions. It is also about transforming our society and our economy and investing in resilient communities. It is about finding and implementing alternative and better ways of managing and organising economic activity, delivering quality services and a robust social infrastructure that can support people across the life cycle.  A failure to put sustainability at the forefront of national policy for many years has led to a situation where the window of opportunity to reduce emissions and meet our climate goals is small, and the effort required is considerable. This should make us all the more determined to drive and deliver the necessary changes.  The time has come to manage this transition and ensure that it is fair and just, and that it delivers changes that improve our environment, our economy and our society. 

Summary of policy options:

Investment

• Investment in renewable and clean energy, climate related research and development, commercial and residential retrofitting and other key sectors should be prioritised by Government. 
• The outcome of climate research and development should remain a public good which is accessible to all.

Energy Transformation

• Develop a National Retrofitting Plan incorporating a Building Renovation Passport Scheme.
• Review all fossil fuel subsidies in 2024 and set out a roadmap to remove them by 2030 with savings invested in the national grid and renewable energy infrastructure. 

Industry

• Emission reductions in industry will require using materials more efficiently, reusing and recycling products and minimising waste. Government should implement a polluter pays principle across industry.
• Introduce regional living labs, pilot a circular economy town and other transformative policies to convert industry to a sustainable sector.

Agriculture and Land Management

• Publish Land Management and Farm to Fork strategies for Ireland in 2024.  
• Pilot a Farm Sustainability Passport scheme to support farmers to move to environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural methods. 

Transport

• Reduce the number of private cars on the road through investment in active travel and public transport expansion and the introduction of congestion charges in urban centres.
• Progress work at EU level to remove the exemption of Jet Kerosene from excise and carbon taxes.

 Policy Coherence

• Effective, well-designed policy must have clear adaptation goals, defined responsibilities and commitments and must be coordinated across all of Government.
• Climate adaptation should be included in our annual budgetary cycle, with regular assessment.

Taxation

• Environmental taxation, enforcing the polluter pays principle, and encouraging waste prevention can help to decouple growth from the consumption of resources and support the shift towards a low carbon economy.
• Removing fossil fuel subsidies can allow for the redirection of these funds towards creating a green economy and facilitating a Just Transition.

Social protection

• Social protection is a key component of wealth redistribution and the delivery of quality services.
• Ensure social protection systems adequately provide a safety net and minimum social floor for those most vulnerable to the shocks of a Green Transition and provide services and supports for those facing changes to their way of life due to a changing society and economy. 

Care

• Care work is people-centred, green work and should be viewed as such in the Just Transition.
• Whether paid or unpaid, carers contribute significantly to society each year.  Government must recognise the essential contribution of carers to society and pilot a Universal Basic Services and a Universal Basic Income Scheme for Carers in line with the Programme for Government Commitment to a Carers Guarantee.

Education and training

• The green transition will transform local labour markets, with new skills needed in all areas of the economy. 
• Government should resource the up-skilling of those who are unemployed and at risk of becoming unemployed through integrated, place-based training and labour market programmes which are aligned with rural development and employment strategies. 

Work and Employment

• The green and digital transitions mean that the world of work is changing substantially, and policy must work to ensure that these transitions are just. 
• Identify those employees working in polluting jobs and develop a reskilling and upskilling strategy to ensure these workers can take advantage of green opportunities as they arise and that they are not left behind.