Uneven transitions: communities, firms, and the green economy

• Florence School of Transnational Governance
• EUI Climate Workshop
• STG Climate

How can governments design climate policy that is both effective and politically sustainable? Much research highlights a trade-off: ambitious climate action reduces emissions but creates economic losers who mobilise to resist. Yet this is not the whole story. Climate policies can also create winners, particularly in places with the skills and resources to adapt, attract new firms, and generate new opportunities.

This presentation shows how broad, economy-wide policies have uneven impacts across the United Kingdom. A key factor is the concentration of local human capital. Where firms can draw on a highly skilled workforce, they adapt more easily, shift towards cleaner production, and sustain economic growth. Where skill levels are lower, firms face greater challenges, leaving communities more vulnerable to job losses and stagnation. These economic differences spill over into politics: resilient regions are more likely to support ambitious climate policy, while vulnerable ones tend to push back.

The findings carry important lessons for policymakers. A just transition is not only about compensating those who lose—it also requires enabling more communities to benefit. Investing in skills, training, and local development is essential if climate policy is to reduce emissions, narrow inequalities, and maintain public support.

Chair

• Laura Iozzelli, Research Fellow, Florence School of Transnational Governance, EUI

Speaker

• Max Bradley, Researcher, Department of Political and Social Sciences, EUI

Discussants

• Jacopo Cammeo, Research Associate, Florence School of Regulation - Climate, EUI
• Mira Tiwari, Research Associate, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, EUI

Session as part of the EUI Climate Workshop, a forum that brings together members of the EUI community from all departments working on climate-related issues from across the institution. Find out more about the workshop and the upcoming sessions here.