A Guide to Just Transitions
Illustrations for MBIE's new guide to creating equitable systems of change.
Design system: Lauren Stewart
Design rollout: Social Good
A Guide to Just Transitions is a document commissioned by MBIE as a practical resource that would help communities and organisations to run their own just transition processes. Many factors are affecting the lives of New Zealanders, such as climate change, COVID-19, and economic changes. Sometimes, these factors will impact a region heavily enough that if not addressed may result in negative impacts on certain communities. So a concerted effort will be needed by communities to adapt and manage the impacts and take advantage of opportunities. The guide helps communities to make a successful transition - where regions can identify and then act upon new opportunities and manage the impacts in a way that’s just, equitable and fair. The desired outcome being oranga, or wellbeing for all.
The guide needed a suite of illustrations that would convey a warm, hopeful tone. The cover illustration symbolized a just transition, incorporating five essential factors: social, environmental, economic, climate, and generational justice. I framed the artwork with a rauru-inspired kōwhaiwhai motif, representing the convergence of these factors to produce new outcomes. I also produced an illustration for each of the five chapters in the report, which step chronologically through the process of designing a system of transition. Throughout these chapters, recurring characters were used to give an overarching narrative to the illustrations. Lastly I was asked to produce an additional illustration around the concept of matauranga Māori, which needed to incorporate eight different principles. Similarly to the cover, I created a rauru design that would frame different illustrated representations of the principles.
For the full suite of illustrations, I used pencil linework to add a softness to the art. The colours were largely pulled from the palette that had been developed for the guide, with additional colour taken from the MBIE brand guidelines. I used grainy textures and pencil highlights to colour the art, using warm highlights to evoke the feelings of sunrise and sunset, which became visual metaphors for the transition process.
Illustrations for MBIE's new guide to creating equitable systems of change.
A Guide to Just Transitions is a document commissioned by MBIE as a practical resource that would help communities and organisations to run their own just transition processes. Many factors are affecting the lives of New Zealanders, such as climate change, COVID-19, and economic changes. Sometimes, these factors will impact a region heavily enough that if not addressed may result in negative impacts on certain communities. So a concerted effort will be needed by communities to adapt and manage the impacts and take advantage of opportunities. The guide helps communities to make a successful transition - where regions can identify and then act upon new opportunities and manage the impacts in a way that’s just, equitable and fair. The desired outcome being oranga, or wellbeing for all.
The guide needed a suite of illustrations that would convey a warm, hopeful tone. The cover illustration symbolized a just transition, incorporating five essential factors: social, environmental, economic, climate, and generational justice. I framed the artwork with a rauru-inspired kōwhaiwhai motif, representing the convergence of these factors to produce new outcomes. I also produced an illustration for each of the five chapters in the report, which step chronologically through the process of designing a system of transition. Throughout these chapters, recurring characters were used to give an overarching narrative to the illustrations. Lastly I was asked to produce an additional illustration around the concept of matauranga Māori, which needed to incorporate eight different principles. Similarly to the cover, I created a rauru design that would frame different illustrated representations of the principles.
For the full suite of illustrations, I used pencil linework to add a softness to the art. The colours were largely pulled from the palette that had been developed for the guide, with additional colour taken from the MBIE brand guidelines. I used grainy textures and pencil highlights to colour the art, using warm highlights to evoke the feelings of sunrise and sunset, which became visual metaphors for the transition process.
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