Without a clear vision of the society we want, meaningful climate policy is impossible. That’s why ÖFSE researchers Ines Omann and Karin Küblböck, together with research partners The Basque Center for Climate Change (Bc3) and Pur Si Simplu Verde, worked with civil society groups, trade unions, and regional actors in Spain and Romania to build a shared vision for a just transition — one that leaves no one behind.
Through workshops covering energy, mobility, housing, and work, participants followed three steps: assessing today’s reality, imagining a desirable future, and designing policies to get there. A creative “personas” technique brought this to life: for example, one group envisioned a single migrant mother in Madrid, close to energy poverty, who in the future could afford energy, access public transport, live in a well-insulated home, and hold a good job in building renovation made possible by the green transition.
At the same time, the vision doesn’t shy away from hard truths. It openly addresses trade-offs — like the tension between individual freedoms and collective sustainability goals — and acknowledges that climate change is already here, while showing how these difficulties can be addressed through compensation, participation and a fair process.
A just transition isn’t only about technology or economics. It’s about the kind of society we want to live in.
Watch the full video below:
