Towards Land-Just Transitions: Addressing Critical Gaps In European Climate Policy

This paper examines how land-based climate mitigation strategies under the European Green Deal raise crucial questions about the distribution and democratic control of land resources. The research analyses the intersection of carbon neutrality-driven land-use changes with existing patterns of land grabbing and concentration, revealing significant limitations in current just-transition approaches. Through a critical analysis of European climate policy frameworks and land governance mechanisms, the study demonstrates that the land dimension represents a notable blind spot in just-transition approaches. The findings indicate that existing frameworks, primarily focused on industrial restructuring and labor market adaptation, cannot adequately address the challenges of ensuring democratic access to and control over land resources. The paper proposes the concept of a "land-just transition" as a necessary evolution, advocating for the explicit integration of land justice considerations into climate transition frameworks. This approach would expand beyond compensation and adaptation to address fundamental questions of land governance and democratic control. The research concludes by identifying key areas requiring further investigation, including empirical analysis of land control patterns, development of policy instruments for ensuring land justice, and theoretical elaboration of land justice within just transition frameworks.