Components of motivating and socially just climate and environmental policy

Polarization and opposition are increasing in the public discourse on climate and environmental protection. Many people are asking: “Can I afford the energy transition? How will I move around in the future? Do climate protection and fairness even go together?" Uncertainty is growing and confidence in politicians to offer socially just solutions for a sustainable future is dwindling. The Oeko-Institut sees an urgent need for action here and, in its 2024/25 donation project, is investigating the conditions under which people perceive climate protection measures as fair and motivating. The project focuses on two central building blocks of the energy and transport transitions: energy-efficient building refurbishment and the switch to electromobility. Both areas play a crucial role in climate protection, but they are associated with costs, at least in the short term, which pose difficulties for households in lower income groups in particular. As part of the project, focus groups will be conducted with citizens in order to better understand their motivation and fairness expectations for climate protection measures. Based on the findings of the project and other preliminary work on social aspects, the Oeko-Institut will develop a “fairness check”. The online tool is intended to help actors in government, administration and consultancy to systematically consider the social impacts and equity aspects of their proposed measures from the outset. In this way, the tool should help to develop the most equitable and balanced policy instruments possible for a climate-friendly future.