"This paper addresses the question of how the external Just Transition agenda of the European Union (EU) has evolved since the Paris Agreement in 2015 and what factors have shaped this process. Over this period, external EU policy regarding Just Transition − that is, an energy transition that aims to be socially fair and just − has evolved in an episodic manner. Three overlapping policy phases can be observed: emergence; amplification; and diffusion. These episodes, in a relatively short timeframe, illustrate the challenge of externalising internal policy in a world in flux. EU cognisance of the geopolitical implications of internationally promoting a Just Transition has at times seemed partial, despite the concept's interrelationship with policies beyond climate and energy, such as development and human rights, and its potential challenge to vested interests and incumbent elites. Additionally, over time, a degree of paradox has emerged between the evolution of Just Transition in the internal and external policy domains. For the EU to further its role as a vital agent of Just Transition globally, a reappraisal of the approach may be timely."

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