Urgent actions are needed to address the climate crisis – the world must decarbonise and must do so quickly. The increasingly dire warnings call for change at an unprecedented speed and scale. But just as transitions to a net zero economy will result in “stranded assets”, they can also cause “stranded workers” and “stranded communities” who risk being left behind unless they become an explicit and integral part of socially inclusive decarbonisation processes. Climate change is both amplifying existing social inequalities and creating new schisms. Climate action requires both ambitious economic transformation and social justice so that the costs and benefits of change are shared in a fair and equitable manner. “Just transitions” is an increasingly visible framing for government, business and worker action on climate change that puts the concerns and rights of workers and communities front and centre in climate transition planning and actions. It is an evolving concept that encompasses both public policies and business action to address impacts on workers and communities of moves away from greenhouse gas emission (GHG) intensive production (the transition “out”) and measures to generate the low or zero GHG products, services and livelihoods of a sustainable society (the transition “in”). Although originally focused almost exclusively on workers, the concept has grown to encompass wider considerations, including households and communities, particularly those already living in poverty, and those vulnerable to climate threats such as sea-level rise, extreme weather, and biodiversity loss. Just transitions approaches are underpinned by international human rights standards.