We start from the framework of sustainable development to address the question how the transition to a low-carbon society can take place in a way that is socially just. Standard policy instruments are often found to create trade-offs between the environmental and the social objectives of sustainable development. Addressing these trade-offs – as well as their translation into inequalities between socioeconomic groups – requires a thorough understanding of the link between incomes, consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at the household level. We explore the interdependencies and inequalities operating at the micro-level, in order to investigate how policy can reconcile social and environmental objectives in the sustainability transition. More about the project.

SUSPENS Final Conference (06 March 2020): programme and presentations

SUSPENS Final Report (April 2020) can be consulted here.

The SUSPENS project is a network research project between the Centre for Social Policy (Universiteit Antwerpen), the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau,  and the Centre for Studies on Sustainable Development at IGEAT, Université Libre de Bruxelles. It is funded by the Federal Public Service Belgian Sciency Policy Office (BELSPO) under the BRAIN-be programme.