The concept of a 鈥渏ust transition鈥 is a call for social, economic, and environmental justice as the world moves toward a global low-carbon economy. The Government of Canada has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and this will require big changes in our most polluting industries, including Canada鈥檚 oil and gas sector. Many fossil fuel industry workers support climate solutions that lead to net zero carbon jobs, as long as they have access to those jobs (Abacus Data 2021). What鈥檚 needed is a roadmap to get there.
Canada鈥檚 oil and gas sector has already seen significant job losses, which are expected to intensify as global demand for oil and gas declines. In this transition there are numerous elements that must be considered such as: How can oil and gas workers be supported? How can these workers鈥攁long with rights holders and other stakeholders鈥攂e included in decisions that directly impact their livelihoods and well-being? How can companies and governments ensure that costs and benefits of the transition are fair? How does this impact the broader economy of oil-dependent communities and regions, and what are those economies transitioning to? Who should lead this work? And, how can we ensure that we do not replicate existing inequities in the low-carbon economy?
Canada is not alone in facing these challenges. Denmark, Scotland, and New Zealand are among the countries that have made commitments to transition their oil and gas sectors (in whole or in part). While their contexts differ, these cases nevertheless bring relevant lessons and leading practices that can inform Canada鈥檚 approach to a just transition in the oil and gas sector.
