There is sometimes a presumption that green policies will bring long-term benefits to people living in poverty — by stimulating economic growth, creating jobs and restoring environmental assets. But approaches to greening key sectors can lead to complex social impacts for diverse groups. Rather than reap expected benefits, women and men living in poverty could face significant costs — such as rising energy prices, restricted access to forest resources and the collapse of the ‘brown’ sectors in which they worked — while anticipated job opportunities and national investments in green infrastructure may not reach them.