What workers want: Conditions for a fair and just transition in the UK

There is cynicism amongst UK workers that the transition to a low carbon economy will lead to high quality, local jobs, with over a third considering local job losses likely.

There is a threefold need for managed decarbonisation: to meet national emissions targets, to mitigate against political backlash, andto revitalise local and regional economies. The complexity of realising the low carbon transitionand its potential risks to employment highlight the importance of including workers and their representatives in planning.

This briefing synthesises wide-ranging research from the Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change (CERIC) which points to conditions for a low carbon transition, from the perspectives of both workers and those who represent them. We recommend that the UK government learns from international example to ensure oversight and fairness in the transition and reap the co-benefits that a managed transition can provide. ​