Just transition and welfare states: a largely unexplored relation

Titolo Rivista SOCIOLOGIA DEL LAVORO
Autori/Curatori Béla Galgóczi, Philippe Pochet
Anno di pubblicazione 2023 Fascicolo 2023/165
Lingua Inglese Numero pagine 22 P. 46-67 Dimensione file 233 KB
DOI 10.3280/SL2023-165003
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Climate emergency has been recognised as a top policy priority by more and more policy-makers and the restructuring process it entails is seen as the main challenge of the coming decades. The welfare state that emerged in the context of a fossil fuel-based extractive economic model, based on a belief in sustained growth, cannot remain unaffected by the ongoing transition to a net-zero economy (Gough et al., 2008). Possible linkages between the welfare state and climate and environmental issues largely remain unexplored and until very recently discussion of social welfare systems in Europe has been disconnected from ecological concerns and policies and as well from the just transition narrative that took a prominent role in shaping the social dimension of climate policies. Both on the other hand assume continuing economic growth. This article aims to present a broad mapping of the current debates mainly at EU level, highlighting possible alternative directions (from green growth to sustainable welfare; from technology to behavioural changes). It proceeds through selected literature reviews offering a dialogue between different perspectives and opening successive routes of questioning. It also highlights the current limitations in the analysis of the role and the shape of welfare states in tackling environmental challenges and labour market transitions.

L'emergenza climatica è riconosciuta come una priorità politica assoluta da un numero sempre maggiore di policy-maker mentre il processo di ristrutturazione che comporta è vista come la sfida principale dei prossimi decenni. Il welfare state, emerso nel contesto di un modello economico estrattivo basato sui combustibili fossili e sulla fiducia in una crescita sostenuta, non può restare indifferente alla transizione in corso verso un'economia a zero emissioni (Gough et al., 2008). I possibili legami tra welfare e questioni climatiche e ambientali rimangono in gran parte inesplorati e fino a poco tempo fa la discussione sui sistemi di welfare sociale in Europa è stata scollegata dalle preoccupazioni e dalle politiche ecologiche oltre che dalla narrazione sulla just transition che ha assunto un ruolo di primo piano nel dare forma alla dimensione sociale delle medesime. Entrambi, d'altro canto, presuppongono una crescita economica continua. L'articolo si propone di presentare una esplorazione dei dibattiti in corso, principalmente a livello europeo, evidenziando le possibili direzioni alternative (dalla crescita verde al benessere sostenibile; dalle soluzioni tecnologiche ai cambiamenti comportamentali). Procede attraverso una rassegna di letteratura proponendo un dialogo tra diverse prospettive e aprendo a ulteriori percorsi di analisi. Infine, evidenzia gli attuali limiti della ricerca sul ruolo e la forma dei sistemi di welfare di fronte alle sfide ambientali e alle connesse transizioni del mercato del lavoro.

Keywords:welfare state, giusta transizione, cambiamento climatico, decrescita, lavoro.

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Béla Galgóczi, Philippe Pochet, Just transition and welfare states: a largely unexplored relation in "SOCIOLOGIA DEL LAVORO " 165/2023, pp 46-67, DOI: 10.3280/SL2023-165003