Building a fair, low-carbon future for everyone
Our research fills this crucial gap by exploring the social and political dimensions shaping how the climate transition unfolds on the ground: Who participates, who benefits, who bears the costs and who has the power to act.
These dynamics can determine whether local communities trust the transition, whether policies land effectively for practitioners and decision‑makers, and whether efforts across sectors are joined up.
To turn this research into real-world impact, we are mobilising the JUST Centre’s expertise, tools and resources to influence and demonstrate how democracy, policy, access to knowledge, leadership and innovation could – and should – be reshaped.
We want the JUST Centre to show what fair, democratic sustainability transformations look and feel like, and what they can deliver for people, places and institutions across the UK. This work centres around three goals:
1. Shape public debate, narratives and consensus Creating opportunities for people and organisations to engage with the JUST Centre’s ideas, knowledge and resources, and build shared understandings that inspire just climate action in places and communities.
2. Build capacity across places and communities Supporting practitioners, organisations and movements in place‑ and identity‑based communities who are already driving change, using our resources to help them experiment, collaborate and accelerate their progress towards a just, low‑carbon future.
3. Join up agendas and actors Strengthening cross-sector and cross-place collaboration by enabling the infrastructure and networks needed to deliver fairer outcomes.
The Young Foundation leads the JUST Centre’s impact programme, ensuring our work reaches the people and institutions who can drive lasting change. Across all our activities, we aim to leave behind durable resources, partnerships and networks that will flourish and continue long after the centre’s lifetime.
Our core impact activities include:
A community of UK-wide practitioners working at the intersection of climate action and social justice across a range of practices, sectors, thematic areas and places.
Funding to help organisations design, test and grow new approaches to just, joined‑up low‑carbon futures.
Mobilisation and collaboration across critical sectors, such as business and health, to influence systemic change.
Working within and beyond the JUST Centre regions to strengthen the political case for pursuing more just and joined-up policy debates, narratives and approaches at the local, regional and national level.
We’re keen to partner with community groups, practitioners, policymakers, researchers and businesses helping to shape the UK’s climate transition.
To explore how we could deliver fair, effective and joined‑up climate action together, get in touch at just@manchester.ac.uk.