Just Transitions to a Net Zero World: Third Annual International Conference

Confirmed Speakers To Date

We are delighted to announce that the following speakers will present this September.

• Prof Phoebe Koundouri - Professor, Department of International and European Economic Studies (IEES), Athens University of Economics and Business; Director, ReSEES; and Senior Research Fellow, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge
• Prof Josephine van Zeben - Provost for Education and Academic Staff Development, European University Institute; Professor of Transnational Law, Florence School of Transnational Governance
• Dr Piotr Szwedo - Associate Professor, Sustainable Development Law Centre, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
• Dr Laure de Preux - Associate Professor of Health and Environmental Economics, Department of Economics & Public Policy, Imperial College Business School
• Honourable Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla - Justice, Supreme Court of Nepal
• Judge Maria Teresa Infante Caffi - Judge, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)
• Tobias Schimanski – Doctoral Researcher, University of Zurich
• Professor Ilan Noy – Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; Professor of Applied Economics, Gran Sasso Science Institute, Italy (online presentation)
• Professor Tim Stephens FAAL FRSN – Professor of International Law and Associate Dean (External Engagement), The University of Sydney Law School (online presentation)
• Rachel Somerville – Sustainability Policy and Delivery Officer, Housing and Communities, Newcastle City Council.

Registrations for this event are now open. If you would like to attend as a delegate, please Register here

Conference Background

Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement a broad theoretical consensus has been reached towards accomplishing - globally - the paths to a Net Zero World. How to implement this consensus at the national level remains a contested issue. The concept of Just Transitions encompasses a wide range of dimensions and perspectives, reflecting the complexity of global shifts towards more just and low-carbon economy. They include labour-oriented approaches, integrated justice frameworks, socio-technical transition approaches, governance strategies, and public perceptions of what constitutes a ‘just’ transition. At a time when transition pathways and even their scientific necessity are once again subject to political challenge, even the already existing just transition commitments are threatened. Our central concern is not merely what climate law and governance promise, but how these frameworks can be modelled, enacted and operationalised in practice.

Firmly grounded in the theoretical work of the first two conferences, this 3rd edition of our joint conference seeks to move beyond theory and explore the concrete and innovative pathways that translate agreed‑upon changes into practice. We welcome critical, interdisciplinary and practice-oriented contributions that explore multifaceted pathways seeking to balance social, ecological and economic aspects of transitions while remaining sensitive to context-specific factors. We invite contributions that engage with the implementation aspects of just transitions, address the challenge of bridging gaps between theory and practice, and examine the development of processes that shape transition outcomes.

Conference Themes and Format

Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Just Transitions to Govern Net Zero Strategies and Sustainable Development
• Just Transitions: Reality or Utopia?
• Just Transitions in Industry and Technology
• Just Transition: For Whom, By Whom, With Whom?

Explore the themes by downloading our in-depth theme document 260623 Conference themes.pdf

The conference will run over two days, with presentations followed by panel discussions. The programme will include invited speakers and contributed papers.

Call for Abstracts 

The call for abstracts deadline has now passed (30 June 2026). 

Authors will be notified of acceptance within six weeks of the deadline. 

We intend to explore opportunities for a peer-reviewed collective publication (such as a special issue or edited volume) drawing on selected contributions from the conference.

Venue

The conference will be held on Durham University campus. Exact locations to be confirmed.

More information on travel and suggested accommodation in Durham can be found in the conference welcome pack. The 3rd Annual International Conference - Welcome Pack - Summer 2026.pdf

Unfortunately, we are unable to cover travel expenses for presenters of contributed papers. However, there is no delegate fee due to any conference presenters or PhD students attending from any university.

Queries

For any queries about the conference, please contact pia.k.andres@durham.ac.uk and csdlp@durham.ac.uk