Introduction
29 case studies have been selected for showcase by the Just Transition Commission. The aim has been to identify bright spots within the just transition landscape across Scotland, from Dumfries and Galloway to Shetland. The showcase is not intended to be exhaustive, but reflects some of the work the Commission has done in engaging with people and projects around the country over the past several years, hearing from innovative people about initiatives and projects that are working well and have a direct connection with the just transition.
In June 2025, a questionnaire was sent to each prospective project and initiative, ensuring a distribution across sectors and regions. The questionnaire asked projects and initiatives to reflect on and consider their alignment with core just transition principles, with the Scottish Government’s National Just Transition Outcomes used as a guide.[1] Prospective projects were also asked to consider their contribution to Scotland, the local area in which they are situated, and their relationship to a wider story of industrial heritage. Scotland was a major industrial centre of the 20th century, and many projects shaping the just transition are situated in sites of previous industry, such as West Dunbartonshire Council’s Queens Quay Energy Centre in Clydebank. Queens Quay was formerly the John Brown Shipyard established in 1871 and closed in 2001, with the project regenerating this former industrial area.
The projects do not necessarily constitute a gold standard but instead provide examples and case studies of meaningful, positive contributions being made across a range of just transition challenges. All projects were given room to identify and reflect on limitations they face in terms of maximising impact and scaling up/replicability, as well as highlight potential areas for improvement. In some cases, structural factors served as limitations to expansion and scaling, such as in local colleges and community-owned energy initiatives. A just transition will not be achieved by individuals or single projects but is instead driven as an ecosystem of action, and facilitated by consistent, targeted government support, policy and investment.
The just transition cannot advance if workers at the heart of the transition are neglected or left behind. A final dimension of the questionnaire was to consider how organisations and projects go beyond Fair Work First as per the government scheme, by incorporating broader values on fair work. Featured organisations were each asked to supply information regarding working conditions including alignment with Scottish Government Fair Work First criteria, if they have gone beyond Fair Work First by incorporating broader values on fair work, and for larger organisations, whether a union recognition agreement is in place. This did not apply to co-operatives structures and membership-based initiatives, though all projects and initiatives were given room to provide any detail on fair work practices deemed relevant.
Two projects were selected for further in-depth case studies which sought to give a stronger sense of the human experience of a just transition, with interviews conducted with the researcher which emphasise the importance of investment into apprenticeships and skills. Adam and Sebastian, two young apprentices employed by XLCC, shared their experiences of working with XLCC and illuminated what just, fair employment looked like to them, and the thrill of learning specialised ‘green’ skills. Alan Paul, control room lead in SSE’s Beatrice Wind Farm, shared how his employment history in oil and gas granted him a thorough skillset that allowed him to smoothly transition into the renewable sector. His story also underlines the importance of retaining local employment as a key component of the just transition.
The Just Transition Commission is grateful for the time and patience of each featured project and initiative which has taken the time to complete thorough responses to the questionnaires and engage with monthly correspondence and follow ups. With resource constraints highlighted as a common constraint, particularly amongst council-run projects and volunteer-led community initiatives, the value of time is not lost on the Commission.
It is hoped that the Commission will continue to expand the showcase in the years ahead, to continue to show how the just transition is being delivered across Scotland by committed, innovative and resourceful people on the ground.
Riyoko Shibe, University of Glasgow and Just Transition Commission researcher