A Just Transition for Alaska

“Transition is inevitable, justice is not” - Quintin Sankofa

Motivation: Just Transition aims to transform the current extractive economy into a regenerative one that is built around equity. It aims to protect our planet, while ensuring healthy and fulfilling lives for those who live on it. Transitioning justly means prioritizing job creation for those who work in extractive fields and lifting up the voices of historically oppressed groups In Alaska; this framework applies in particular to the many native communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. Wrought by coastal erosion, retreating sea ice, rising temperatures, and depleting subsistence food sources, the indigenous peoples of Alaska face immediate threat to their culture and survival. A just transition would work to magnify the voices, knowledge, and cultures of all people to ensure that those who have been severely underrepresented have a seat at the table in planning a collective, sustainable future. 

Just Transition in Alaska : Driven by the power of grassroot organizations, Alaska’s Just Transition Collective works with elected representatives, business leaders, tribal governments, and citizens alike to amplify the conversation concerning an equitable transition to a regenerative economy. In collaboration with sustainability organizations as well as indigenous advocacy groups,  this coalition seeks to ensure that the switch from an extractive, fossil-fuel dependent economy to a regenerative one not only acknowledges past injustices, but also works to dismantle the structures perpetuating inequity. In Alaska, this concerns investing in human capital, diversifying the economy, renewing self-sustaining food sources, and prioritizing independent renewable energy development.

To learn more about Just Transition in Alaska and how to get involved, visit https://www.justtransitionak.org/