Shifting from a ‘just’ to a ‘fair’ transition in environmental discourse: a case of old wine in a new bottle?

This paper investigates the language used in certain institutional documents discussing the ‘just’ and ‘fair’ transitions, aiming to determine whether this lexical shift is merely nominal or reflects differences in the construction of these concepts. Specifically, two non-binding documents are considered: the International Labour Organization (ILO) Guidelines (2015) and the European Union (EU) Council Recommendation (2022). Using the Appraisal Framework, particularly the Judgement subsystem, the paper explores how these texts evaluate human behaviour and the ethical dimensions related to environmental transitions, addressing the following questions: How is this shift discursively framed in these documents? What are the potential implications of this terminological change in terms of stance-taking and reader reception regarding environmental issues? The findings reveal that while both the ILO Guidelines and the EU Recommendation emphasise the urgency of transitioning to greener economies, the ILO Guidelines advocate for a participatory ‘just’ transition, whereas the EU Recommendation promotes a more top-down ‘fair’ transition. This distinction aligns with Rawls’ theory of justice, with the ‘just’ transition reflecting a more inclusive approach.