Drawing inspiration from the remarkable work of Wolfgang Sachs (1992) and, later, Kothari et al. (2019), which greatly supported the debate around post-development, the Dictionary of Climate Justice Fossil Fuel Transition Practices seeks to provide an overview of the current debate around just transitions beyond the fossil fuels era. It brings together multiple examples and voices from across the globe that illustrate peaceful socio-economic and energy transitions, alongside critical reflections on the extractivist practices that continue to shape many regions today. These practices, which have generated significant environmental and social impact, particularly for local communities living in so-called “sacrifice zones”, have long dominated discussions on viable pathways for territorial development and transformation.
Meanwhile, a multitude of community-driven and grassroots initiatives, although still relatively under-recognized, are paving the way to overcoming alternatives to extractivism and the reproduction of sacrifice zones. These initiatives prioritize the restoration, preservation, and conservation of ecosystems and draw upon indigenous ancestral knowledge to promote just and equitable futures.
To address these issues, the Dictionary is organized into three parts. The first part, “Framing the issue”, outlines key theoretical elements that help framing the ongoing debate around just transitions. The second, “Zombie energy: surviving or prospering?”, discusses the strategies currently deployed from the fossil fuel industry to delay and avoid fossil fuel phasing out, including false solutions, greenwashing, legal prosecution, and negationism. The third, “Steps for empowerment and transformation”, highlights a variety of approaches, initiatives and ideas produced by civil society in the effort to build just transition paths.
Each topic is discussed by academics, activists, and indigenous people trying to provide an overview of the multitude of different entities, views and approaches that are developing around the world to imagine and enact just futures beyond the fossil era.
Overall, the Dictionary is intended as a practical tool for climate justice practitioners, offering up-to-date knowledge on key issues related to just transitions while also fostering networking and the exchange of good practices. This may include showing how broader areas of expertise can help illuminate the social, political, economic, and ecological challenges involved in phasing out fossil fuels in a fair and equitable way.
The book will be published in English by the Italian publisher FrancoAngeli as an open-access online publication. It will be released under a non-commercial open-access licence in order to facilitate access and uptake for grassroots movements, academics and the general public.