Equitable transition in Canada

If we’re not careful, climate change, as well as our attempts to mitigate it, could further increase inequities or create new ones. Globally, low-income people, households, and communities are more likely to be victims of pollution and severe climate events, while simultaneously being most vulnerable to income insecurity resulting from the transition to a green economy. These same communities are also often excluded from decision-making.

Climate equity is the idea that every person—regardless of their gender, race or ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, or age—should have access to, and benefit from, a clean environment and protection from the impacts of climate change. One mechanism for making progress toward climate equity is the facilitation of an “equitable transition” from carbon-intensive economic activities toward a net-zero society.

Traditionally, the concept of a just or equitable transition has been focused on ensuring an equitable, coordinated, and rapid transition to the “green collar workforce,” which is expected to create more than 200 million new jobs globally by 2050. However, this transition will also displace workers and communities that exist around carbon-intensive activities. It is vital that the private and public sectors—including many of our clients—work together to ensure that those who stand to lose the most from the net-zero transition are supported and protected.

At Deloitte, we understand that equitable transition is inextricably linked to climate equity. In our work, we go beyond workforce modernization to include critical issues like social empowerment, community resilience, economic diversification, environmental equity, and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) sovereignty, leadership, and capacity building.

Equitable Transition is an integrated pillar of Deloitte Canada’s Centre for Sustainability & Climate Action, which aims to equitably and sustainably address the ways in which a transition to a net-zero future may disrupt entire industries, workforces, communities, and regions. We work with our clients, across government and commercial sectors, to act on climate change in an equitable way.