
A framework for policy design © IRENA 2026 Unless otherwise stated, material in this publication may be freely used, shared, copied, reproduced, printed and/or stored,provided that appropriate acknowledgement is given of IRENA as the source and copyright holder. Material in this publicationthat is attributed to third parties may be subject to separate terms of use and restrictions, and appropriate permissions fromthese third parties may need to be secured before any use of such material. ISBN:978-92-9260-711-1 CITATION IRENA (2026),Fostering a just energy transition: A framework for policy design, InternationalRenewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi ABOUT IRENA TheInternational Renewable Energy Agency(IRENA)serves as the principal platform forinternational co-operation, a centre of excellence, a repository of policy, technology, resource andfinancial knowledge, and a driver of action on the ground to advance the transformation of theglobal energy system. An intergovernmental organisation established in 2011, IRENA promotes thewidespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy,geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy, in the pursuit of sustainable development,energy access, energy security and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.www.irena.org ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was developed under the guidance of Ute Collier and Michael Renner (IRENA) andauthored by Mirjam Reiner with valuable inputs from Nahee Lee and Laura El-Katiri. The followingIRENA colleagues provided feedback on the draft: Diala Hawila, Gondia Sekh, Samah Elsayed,Caroline Ochieng, Kavita Rai, Binu Parathan, Kamlesh Dookayka, Varvara Aleksić, Nadeem Goussous,and Arina Ainsie; and Rabia Ferroukhi (INETTT) and Celia García-Baños (ex-IRENA). The report received further external feedback from Julián Martínez Bejarano (Just TransitionInstitute, Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain), Miquel MuñozCabré (Stockholm Environment Institute), Riad Meddeb and Josh Oxby (United Nations DevelopmentProgramme), Benjamin Sovacool and Peter Newell (University of Sussex) and Kirsten Jenkins(University of Edinburgh). Editorial co-ordination was provided by Francis Field with the support of Stephanie Clarke. Thereport was edited by Steven Kennedy, with design by Myrto Petrou and graphics by Matías Daviron. Availablefor download:www.irena.org/publications.For further information or to providefeedback:publications@irena.org DISCLAIMERThis publication and the material herein are provided “as is”. All reasonable precautions have been taken by IRENA to verify the reliability of the material in this publication. However, neither IRENA nor any of its officials, agents, data or other third-partycontent providers provides a warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, and they accept no responsibility or liability forany consequence of use of the publication or material herein. The information contained herein does not necessarily represent the views of all Members of IRENA. The mention of specificcompanies or certain projects or products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by IRENA in preference toothers of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The designations employed, and the presentation of material herein, do notimply the expression of any opinion on the part of IRENA concerning the legal status of any region, country, territory, city or areaor of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries. CONTENTS KEY MESSAGES.................................................................................................................... 5 1INTRODUCTION: WHY JUSTICE CONSIDERATIONS MATTER FOR SUCCESSFULENERGY TRANSITIONS..................................................................................................... 9 2THE “JUST” IN JUST ENERGY TRANSITION......................................................................11 2.1 Navigating definitions and perspectives on a just energy transition..................................... 112.2 The just energy transition as a process and a vision.............................................................. 14 3.1Key considerations for a just energy transition: Assessment and policy design................153.2Dimensions of the just energy transition................................................................................163.3Application, intersections and whole-systems perspectives.............................................31 5REFERENCES.................................................................................................................. 41 FIGURES Figure S1Framework for assessing energy transition and informing just energypolicy design.................................................................................................................... 6Figure 1Spectrum of just transition visions.................................................