Energy Transitions and Justice: Navigating Conflicts between Decarbonization, Climate Justice, and Energy Justice

Today's intersecting social-ecological crises are deeply rooted in the energy and transportation systems shaped by coal and oil. This paper begins by examining research on energy within environmental sociology, alongside insights from the fields of energy justice and climate justice. We analyse the global, national, and sub-national inequalities in both social responsibility and vulnerability to climate change. This draws on empirical examples of energy-related conflicts and transitions in Canada, Denmark, and Norway. Through this analysis, we explore the social dynamics of decarbonization, highlighting how transitions away from fossil fuels, while necessary, can generate new forms of inequality or exacerbate existing ones. A particular focus is given to the infringement of Indigenous rights protected under UNDRIP, demonstrating how well-intentioned renewable energy initiatives can perpetuate colonial practices. Finally, we argue that prioritizing fossil fuels and energy systems as the primary drivers of climate solutions risks overshadowing other critical issues, such as agriculture and land use, that must be integrated into a holistic climate strategy.