Attaining Just (Energy+) Transitions

There is growing consensus that responses to the climate crisis must be embedded in justice thinking, and that mitigation and adaptation approaches should not create new or entrench old injustices. Just Transitions has emerged in response.

According to the International Labour Organization, Just Transition refers to greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind. Its manifestations are various, appearing according to one review, as a (1) a labor-oriented concept, (2) an integrated framework for justice, (3) a theory of socio-technical transition, (4) a governance strategy, and (5) public perception. Across all forms, it has seen a rapid surge in both academic and practical popularity through its application to energy dimensions of the climate challenge and more.

This talk will introduce state-of-the-art Just Transition thinking, exploring key barriers to its attainment and galvanizing opportunities. Drawing inspiration from the work of the Scottish Just Transition Commission, one of the first global groups established to provide independent scrutiny and advice on how to put justice at the heart of climate action, it also considers one of the biggest challenges in the Just Transition space: how we evaluate and monitor success and failure.

Kirsten Jenkins is a senior lecturer in energy, environment, and society within the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is a 2024-2025 Kleinman Center Visiting Scholar. Her background is as a sustainable development and human geography scholar, with research interests that center on energy policy, energy justice, Just Transitions, fuel poverty, and sustainable energy provision and use. Her work is highly cited internationally and is featured in high-profile outlets, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s special report on global warming of 1.5°C and numerous government publications.

Alongside her lectureship, Jenkins serves as managing editor for the journal Energy Research & Social Science, and deputy theme champion for the Energy, People, Policy, and Society theme of the Energy Technology Partnership, amongst other roles. She is a member of the Scottish Government’s Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel and an Adviser to the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy, and Transport Committee.

Shelley Welton is a Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy with the Kleinman Center and Penn Carey Law. Welton previously was an Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law.

At the Law School, Welton teaches environmental law, climate change law, and a seminar on Networks, Platforms, and Utilities. She also teaches “Introduction to Energy Policy,” a university-wide graduate course, for the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy.

Welton’s scholarship focuses on how climate change is transforming energy and environmental governance within the United States and transnationally. Current research projects include exploring a just energy transition for the U.S. south; understanding what lessons the failed nuclear renaissance offers for climate infrastructure development; and investigating grid reliability governance under climate change. Her scholarship has appeared in publications including the Yale Law Journal, Stanford Law Review, California Law Review, Columbia Law Review, Michigan Law Review, and Harvard Environmental Law Review.

We look forward to welcoming guests to the Kleinman Center’s Energy Forum. In accordance with the University of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 guidelines, masks are optional for all visitors. Boxed lunches will be available to go following the event!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, 220 S. 34th St., Philadelphia, United States