Towards just transition: Tackling inequity and structural causes of vulnerability in key environment, health and climate related policies in Finland

Advancing climate change causes multiple direct and indirect impacts on ecological systems and human societies remarkably increasing diverse vulnerabilities and threatening human security, health and societal stability. Climate policies on national level have so far failed to systematically address structural causes of vulnerability which, if left unresolved, can hinder effective adaptation outcomes and adaptive abilities in society. In this paper, we examined how equity (fairness) has been addressed and operationalised through the justice dimensions both in the EU and Finnish national policies to explore key justice concerns from the viewpoint of just transition. We found that social justice is highlighted in the policies especially in terms of economic impacts and welfare gaps exacerbated by climate change impacts. Adaptive capacity is thus essentially intertwined in the ability of institutions to recognise and enforce processes that ensure the distribution of goods and resources in way that is responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable.