Good Futures Project
Putting fairness at the heart of climate action
The climate and nature crises demand nothing short of transformational change in Yorkshire and the Humber. The Good Futures Projects aims to work with stakeholders across the region to ensure that this transition is a fair one.
Done right, climate action can bring a wealth of positive benefits to our communities, creating a healthier, happier and thriving region. But climate action that ignores social equity risks deepening existing inequalities, and isolating communities already vulnerable to economic, environmental and health shocks.
We need to build resilience and fairness into climate policy from the start, putting the most vulnerable people first as we develop and implement our plans. This requires a truly inclusive approach to decision-making, one that fully considers the immediate and enduring impacts of decisions on all communities.
Policymakers in Yorkshire and the Humber are already demonstrating how this can be done – as a region we have the ambition, innovation and opportunity to build on these successes.
The Good Futures Framework
Through our Good Futures Project, we have been working on a practical tool to help embed fairness and equity into everyday planning and policy decisions.
The Good Futures Framework, which we co-developed with the JUST Centre and people from across the region, has been designed to support more effective climate action and better futures for workers and communities.
We are currently welcoming organisations from any sector to use the tool on a developing plan, project or policy. To get hold of a copy, please contact yhclimate@leeds.ac.uk.
The Good Futures Framework is an assessment tool for anyone developing a policy or plan. It has been designed to help maximise benefits, minimise negative or unintended impacts, and integrate stronger protections for vulnerable workers and communities.
The Framework details two approaches, which can be used flexibly depending on available time and capacity: the Fast Assessment is for a quick impact review of the proposed policy or plan, and the Full Assessment is for longer, multi-week assessment processes that incorporate stakeholder input.
The next iteration of the Framework will also include the JUST Centre’s Neighbourhood Readiness Tool, for place-based data on potential vulnerabilities and strengths to support decision-making.
The Good Futures Framework can be used by anyone, such as:
- local and regional policymakers, who can use this tool to help refine plans to support positive change
- leaders of businesses and organisations, who can use this tool to guide strategies and strengthen social and environmental impact
- individuals, who can use this tool to identify potential risks associated with local project planning or consultations, and advocate for fairer, more sustainable outcomes.
The Good Futures Framework was developed with direct input from more than 150 policymakers, business leaders, workers, community members, researchers and non-profit organisations from across Yorkshire and the Humber. It also draws on research undertaken by academics at the University of Leeds and University of York.
The Framework design was initially shaped by insights from communities and policymakers gathered during a series of workshops in early 2025. Through an additional five workshops and more than 30 expert consultations, the tool was further developed and validated to ensure that it truly reflected the priorities and needs of people in the region.
The Framework was also shared with councillors and policymakers across Yorkshire and the Humber, to help align the tool with the local and regional policy processes.
The first iteration of the Good Futures Framework will continue to be beta tested and refined through a series of training and uptake workshops and expert consultations in 2026.
A second version of the tool, expected in late 2026, will incorporate Just Transitions Indicators and guidance on the Neighbourhood Readiness Tool from the Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) Centre.
Get involved
