Exploring the Scope for Just Transition: Striking a Viable Balance Between Effective and Just Transition in Urban Climate Governance

Hege Hofstad; Marianne Millstein

doi:10.55845/jos-2025-1250

Authors

Hege Hofstad Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, Oslo Metropolitan University
Marianne Millstein Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, Oslo Metropolitan University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55845/jos-2025-1250

Keywords:

Just Transition, Urban Climate Governance, Social Justice, Compact City Development, Collaborative Governance

Abstract

At the same time as the consequences of climate change are felt more acutely, the divide between positions in the climate debate grows deeper, making effective urban climate policies harder to realise than ever. This dilemma serves as a stimulus for this paper. We ask: Which values and claims drive social movements’ engagement in compact city development? By applying a coherent theoretical framework for social justice to capture and compare the arguments of proactive movements (environmental organisations and sustainable community groups) and reactive movements (action groups against densification and toll rings) in four Scandinavian cities, we contribute new knowledge on the ‘justice pluralism’ underlying diverse protests to urban climate policies. Interestingly, the analysis of this qualitative empirical material shows that the difference between seemingly adversarial positions is smaller than anticipated and that striking a viable balance between effective and just transition is possible. It necessitates, first, recognising and accommodating pluralistic values and divergent positions; second, critically examining normalised approaches to urban development policy; and third, implementing collaborative governance frameworks that incorporate dissenting voices as co-creators of solutions. This result stands in contrast to the often-dichotomous approach to urban climate governance and just transition found in the literature. Comparison of proactive and reactive protests provides a more nuanced, pluralistic understanding of the challenges cities face. We argue that a more balanced approach to transition processes is critical if cities are to prevent backlash, build legitimacy, and secure effective implementation of urban climate policies. Future research should explore these concerns in greater depth, examining their applicability across diverse geographic contexts and thematic domains.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aasen, M., Klemetsen, M., Vatn, A. (2022). Folk og klima: Utvikling i nordmenns oppfatninger om klimaendringer, klimapolitikk og eget ansvar 2018-2021. Report 2022:07 Oslo: CICERO – Centre for Climate Research.

Basta, C. (2016). From justice in planning toward planning for justice: A capability approach. Planning Theory, 15(2) 190-212.

Bell, K., Price, V., McLoughlin, K., Kojola, E. (2023). The necessity of a transformational approach to just transition: defence worker views on decarbonisation, diversification and sustainability, Environmental Politics, https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2023.2199661.

Berisha, E., Cotella, G., Puntillo, E., Shaker, Y. (2025). Just Green Transitions in the EU: Comparing the Cases of Italy, Sweden, Poland, and the Netherlands, chapter 21 in E. Berisha et al. (eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Just Green Transitions in the Western Balkans and Beyond. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-95075-9_21.

Bowness, E., Tremembé, M., Tremembé, L., Azevedo, A., Tavares, F. C., Pasek, A., Ahenakew, C., Valley, W., Stein, S. (2025). Beyond redistribution: a framework for reparative just transitions, Environ. Res. Lett. 20 094058. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adf905.

Bulkeley, H., Edwards, G. A. S., Fuller, S. (2014). Contesting climate justice in the city: Examining politics and practice in urban change experiments, Global Environmental Change 25:31-30.

Bulkeley, H. (2021). Climate changed urban futures: environmental politics in the anthropocene city.

Environmental Politics 30(1-2), 266-284.

Burton, E. (2000). The compact city: Just or just compact? A preliminary analysis. Urban Studies 37(11): 1969–2001.

Ciplet, D., & Harrison, J. L. (2020). Transition tensions: mapping conflicts in movements for a just and sustainable transition. Environmental Politics, 29(3), 435–456. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2019.1595883

City of Bergen. (2018). Kommuneplanens arealdel, 2018-2030 [Bergen’s land use plan].

City of Bergen. (2022). Grønn strategi, klimastrategi for Bergen [Bergen’s Climate Strategy].

City of Gothenburg. (2018a). Göteborgs Stads program för en jämlik stad 2018–2026 [Gothenburg’s Equal city program 2018-2026].

City of Gothenburg. (2018b). Översiktsplan för Göteborg. Samrådshandling december 2018 [Gothenburg’s master plan].

City of Gothenburg. (2021). Göteborgs stads miljö- och klimatprogram 2021-2030 [Gothenburg’s Environment and Climate Program]

City of Oslo. (2020). Klimastrategi for Oslo mot 2030 [Oslo’s Climate Strategy].

City of Stockholm (2018) Handlingsplan fossilbränslefri vägtransportsektor Stockholm. 2018-01-25, Slutrapport [Action Plan for fossil-free road transport].

City of Stockholm. (2020). Climate Action Plan 2020-2023 – For a fossil-free and climate-positive Stockholm by 2040.

Enjolras, B., Strømsnes, K. (2018). The transformation of the Scandinavian voluntary sector. In: Enjolras B,

Strømsnes K (eds.) Scandinavian Civil Society and Social Transformations, Cham: Springer.

Ewing, R., Hamidi, S., Tian, G., Proffitt, D., Tonin, S., & Fregolent, L. (2017). Testing Newman and Kenworthy’s Theory of Density and Automobile Dependence. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 38(2), 167-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X16688767 (Original work published 2018)

Fainstein, S. S. (2014). The just city. International Journal of Urban Sciences, 18:1, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/12265934.2013.834643.

Fraser, N. (1999). Social Justice in the Age of Identity Politics: Redistribution, Recognition, and Participation. In: Garvey A, Norman J B, Büchs M, Barrett J (2022) A “spatially just” transition? A critical review of regional equity in decarbonisation pathways, Energy Research and Social Science, 88.

Gébert, J., Bajmócy, Z., Málovics, G., Juhász, J., Berki, B. M. (2023). The role of moral values in urban planning: can the capability approach make a contribution? Regional Science Policy & Practice, 15: 357-370.

Haarstad, H., & Yazar, M. (2025). Urban sustainability: a spatial justice critique. Territory, Politics, Governance, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/21622671.2025.2587706

Haarstad, H., Kjærås, K., Røe, P.G., Tveiten, K. (2022). Diversifying the compact city: A renewed agenda for geographical research, Dialogues in Human Geography, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/20438206221102949

Hanssen, G. S., Tønnesen, A. (2021). Core-city climate leadership in metropolitan contractual management agreements. European Planning Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2021.1947988.

Hartmann, T., Jehling, M. (2019). From diversity to justice – Unraveling pluralistic rationalities in urban

Design, Cities, 91, 58-63.

Heikkinen, A., Mäkelä, H., Kujala, J., Nieminen, J., Jokinen, A., Rekola, H. (2019). Urban Ecosystem services and stakeholders – towards a sustainable capability approach. In: Bonnedahl K J, Heikkurinen P (eds.) Strongly sustainable societies, London: Routledge.

Hewidy, H. Harsia, E. (2025). Let them speak: Insurgent planning and urban justice, Cities, 162, 105918.

Hofstad, H. (2012). Compact City Development: High Ideals and Emerging Practices. European Journal of Spatial Development 1 (1): 1–23.

Hofstad, H. (2023). Well understood? A literature study defining and operationalising community social

sustainability. Local Environment. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2023.2195620.

Hofstad, H. (2024). Co-creation challenges to public leadership: Tensions, dilemmas and coping mechanisms, chapter 10 in Røiseland, A; E. Sørensen & J. Torfing (2024): Advancing Co-creation in Local Governance: The Role of Coping Strategies and Constructive Hybridization. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Hofstad, H. (2025). Community Social Sustainability: Unpacking the Concept for Urban Governance and Planning, Sustainable Development. 0:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.332.7

Hughes, S., Hoffmann, M. (2020). Just urban transitions: Toward a research agenda. WIREs Clim Change.

2020;11:e640. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.640.

Janssen, C., Daamen, T. A., Verdaas, C. (2021). Planning for Urban Social Sustainability: Towards a Human-Centred Operational Approach. Sustainability, 13, 9083. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169083.

Jasanoff, S. (2018). Just transitions: A humble approach to global energy futures. Energy Research & Social Science 35 (2018) 11–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2017.11.025.

Jenks, M., Jones, C. (Eds.) (2010). Dimensions of the sustainable city (volume 2). London: SpringerLink.

Jørgensen, M. L., Anker, H. T., Lassen, J. (2020). Distributive fairness and local acceptance of wind turbines: The role of compensation schemes, Energy Policy, 138, 111294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111294.

Kjærås, K. (2021). Towards a relational conception of the compact city. Urban Studies 58(6) 1176–1192. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098020907281.

Kohon, J. (2018). Social inclusion in the sustainable neighborhood? Idealism of urban social sustainability theory complicated by realities of community planning practice. City, Culture and Society, 15: 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccs.2018.08.005.

Kotsila, P., Anguelovski, I. (2023). Justice should be at the centre of assessments of climate change impacts on health. Comment. Lancet Public Health, 8:e11-e12.

Málovics, G., Creţan, R., Méreine-Berki, B., Tóth, J. (2019). Socio-environmental justice, participatory development, and empowerment of segregated urban Roma: Lessons from Szeged, Hungary, Cities, 91, 137-145.

Marquet, O., Mojica, L., Fernandez-Nunez, M., Maciejewska, M. (2024). Pathways to 15-Minute City adoption: Can our understanding of climate policies' acceptability explain the backlash towards x-minute city programs? Cities 148 (2024).

McAuliffe, C. and Rogers, D. (2019). The politics of value in urban development: valuing conflict in agonistic pluralism, Planning Theory, 18(3), 300–318.

Medved, P. (2017). Leading Sustainable Neighbourhoods in Europe: Exploring the Key Principles and Processes. Urbani Izziv 28 (1): 107–121. https://doi.org/10.5379/urbani-izziv-en-2017-28-01-003.

Méreine-Berki, B., Málovics, G., Creţan, R. (2021). “You become one with the place”: Social mixing, social capital, and the lived experience of urban desegregation in the Roma community, Cities, 117, 103302.

Moodie, J. R. (2025). The Key Dimensions of Just Transitions - From Concept to Policy Practice. Journal of Sustainability, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.55845/jos-2025-1248.

Moore, S., Trudeau, D. (2020). New Urbanism: From Exception to Norm—The Evolution of a Global Movement, Urban Planning 5 (4), 384–387. https://doi.org/10.17645/up.v5i4.3910.

Nadin, V., Stead, D., Dąbrowski, M., Fernandez-Maldonado, A. M. (2021). Integrated, adaptive and participatory spatial planning: trends across Europe. Regional Studies, 55 (5): 791-803. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2020.1817363

Newell, P., Srivastava, S., Naess, L. O., Torres Contreras, G. A., Price, R. (2021). Toward transformative climate justice: An emerging research agenda. WIREs Clim Change. 2021;12: e733. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.733

Newell, P. J., Geels, F. W., Sovacool, B. J. (2022). Navigating tensions between rapid and just low-carbon transitions, Environmental Research Letters 17. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac622a.

Nussbaum, M. (2000). Women's Capabilities and Social Justice. Journal of Human Development, 1(2): 219-247. https://doi.org/10.1080/713678045.

Pahl-Wostl, C., Patterson, J. (2021). Commentary: Transformative Change in Governance Systems A conceptual framework for analysing adaptive capacity and multi-level learning processes in resource governance regimes, Global Environmental Change 71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102405.

Patterson, J. (2023). Backlash to climate policy, Global Environmental Politics 23:1, February 2023.

https://doi.org/10.1162/glep_a_00684.

Porter, L. (2020). Thinking Climate Justice: Introduction to the Interface, Climate Justice in a Climate Changed World. Planning Theory & Practice 21 (2): 293-295.

Rickards, L. (2020). Using and Interrogating Privilege to Progress Climate Justice. Planning Theory & Practice 21 (2):295-298.

Rogers, D., and McAuliffe, C. (2025). Housing’s values: Housing as an ethical urbanism, EPF: Philosophy, Theory, Models, Methods, and Practice, Vol. 4(3), pp. 357-373.

Satorras, M., Ruiz-Mallén, I., Monterde, A., March, H. (2024). Co-production of urban climate planning: Insights from the Barcelona Climate Plan, Cities, 106 (2020).

Schlosberg, D. (2007). Defining environmental justice: Theories, movements, and nature. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Schlosberg, D., Collins, L. B. (2014). From environmental to climate justice: climate change and the discourse of environmental justice. WIREs Clim Change 5:359–374. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.275.

Sen, A. (1993). Capability and well-being. In: Nussbaum M, Sen A The quality of life. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/0198287976.003.0003.

Sen, A. (2013). The Ends and Means of Sustainability. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities 14(1):6-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/19452829.2012.747492.

Soares, B. O., & Glaser, M. (2025). Beyond infrastructure: Unpacking the complexity of exclusion and implications for just mobility transitions. Journal of Transport Geography, 126, 104202.

Sovacool, B. K., Martiskainen, M., Hook, A., Baker, L. (2019). Decarbonization and its discontents: a critical energy justice perspective on four low-carbon transitions, Climatic Change, 155, 581-619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-019-02521-7.

Strange, K., March, H., Satorras, M. (2024). Incorporating climate justice into adaptation planning: The case of San Francisco, Cities, 144 (2024).

Vallance, S., Perkins, H. C., Moore, K. (2005). The results of making a city more compact: Neighbours’ interpretation of urban infill, Environment and Planning B, 32, 715-733. https://doi.org/10.1068/b31157.

Wagle, P., Philip, K. (2022). Climate justice is social justice: articulating people’s rights to the

city in Mumbai, Environment & Urbanization, 34(2), 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1177/09562478221113632.

Wang, X., Lo, K. (2021). Just transition: A conceptual review, Energy Research & Social Science 82.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.102291.

Wanvik, T., Haarstad, H. (2021). Populism, Instability, and Rupture in Sustainability Transformations, Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 111:7, 2096-2111. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2020.1866486.

Young, I. M. (2006). Taking the basic structure seriously, Symposium, Cambridge University Press, 4(1).

https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592706060099.