Database

Compiled by the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) as part of its JUST Stories project, the database is a first-of-its-kind, practical resource sharing examples of inclusive initiatives that are involving the people most impacted by the shift to net zero.  It has been created to help net zero practitioners across business, finance, government, unions, and civil society explore the breadth of inclusive net zero initiatives where the people whose lives and rights will be most impacted by decarbonisation are being actively involved in their creation.

This database showcases the breadth of action, diversity of actors, and innovation of thinking already available to learn from on the path to net zero. The aim is to demystify ‘just transitions’, inspire greater learning-by-doing, and encourage sharing of ideas about how to advance rights-respecting, inclusive, and efficient climate action that doesn’t harm - and actually creates opportunities for - people most impacted by the shift to net zero.

What makes this database unique is that it focuses on net zero projects that prioritise the rights of people most impacted by net zero and their inclusion in project decision-making - from workers or Indigenous peoples, to diverse local communities or consumers.

No. The database aggregates publicly available examples of people-focused net zero transition projects around the world, at various stages of maturity. It is not an endorsement of the projects included or an assessment of their quality at this early stage of most transitions. There is likely no such thing as a ‘perfect’ just transition, and whether transitions achieve ‘just’ outcomes will unfold for years and decades to come. But by sharing examples and learning from various approaches being trialed, we hope to inspire a groundswell of just transition learnings.

This database is part of JUST Stories - a two-year project dedicated to finding and telling stories of people working together to advance just transitions. This search has unearthed a diversity of projects piloting different ways of putting affected stakeholders and their human rights at the centre of planning for a cleaner, greener future. It is a complement to the in-depth, long-form features the JUST Stories project is known for, to demonstrate the breadth of approaches being trialled that fellow practitioners can learn from.