NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

As institutions and mission-driven businesses increasingly recognize the urgency of transitioning to green models, the concept of a “just transition” becomes paramount. Our session moves beyond aspirational principles to ensure this transition indeed creates equitable opportunities and fairly distributes costs and benefits, especially for vulnerable communities. We’ll establish foundational concepts and core principles in non-jargon terms, explore common just transition frameworks, and discuss real-world applications for businesses.

We will share tangible examples from Michigan (energy infrastructure), Colombia (renewables & community engagement), and the Philippines (sustainable transport), illustrating complexities and opportunities to highlight hidden assumptions and key questions to ask as you develop your measurement strategies. We’ll emphasize systems thinking and conclude by recapping business responsibilities and other stakeholders’ roles. Join us for a pragmatic discussion on applying core principles to real-world scenarios for a sustainable future.

Time: 9:00 AM ET