When two movements collide: Learning from labour and environmental struggles for future Just Transitions

The term ‘Just Transition’ (JT) emerged from the 1970s North American labour movement to become a campaign for planned energy transition that includes justice and fairness workers. There is diversity in JT narratives ambitions different actors put forward regarding its aims strategies. This article critically reviews academic grey literature on Global South Africa examine how labour, advocacy, private sector, governmental frame formulate JT, narrative patterns across can signal transformative justice. Highlighting JT’s origins, we fill gap by reintroducing perspective into an analysis of affirmative justice, propose original theoretical framework unites scholarship environmental studies. proposals are examined through actors, approaches, tensions five key themes: depth & urgency, scale scope, identity inclusion, material equity, participation power. Finally, synthesise trends our findings relation prominent discourses – Green Growth, Keynesianism, Energy Democracy, Revolution discuss potential alliances coalitions going future.