CHANGING PLACES OF WORK PROJECT

The transition to a low-carbon society will require widespread industrial change. While the focus has long been on the energy sector, other carbon-intensive industries also have to contribute to reduced emissions. The steel industry is one of these.

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In Sweden there are various changes on the way to reduce the climate impact of the steel industry. From fossil free steel making to a greater use of alternative materials to replace the use of steel, such as timber in construction.

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These changes will have widespread socio-economic implications, within the industry (for example, the number of workers and types of skills required) but also outside it. Places where the steel industry is based often have close social and economic ties with the industry. In this project we ask: What will happen to these places when industrial activities move or change? But also: Can such changes be channeled into something positive? How can industrial change help communities to thrive in low-carbon economies of the future?

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We will answer these questions through a combination of historical and contemporary case studies in Sweden and the United Kingdom.

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This project will run from December 2021 until December 2024.