At this year’s EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), CAN Europe (as the leader of the LIFE Together for 1.5 project) and WWF EPO explored how to embed social fairness and fundamental rights into the EU’s decarbonisation pathways, including through the National Energy and Climate Plans: “Putting people at the heart of the climate and energy transition”.
The event brought together voices from civil society, national and EU institutions, private sector and local actors, exploring challenges and opportunities to deliver a timely and fair climate and energy transition where human rights are respected. National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are the backbone of this transition. These plans are meant to pave the way to reach the EU climate and energy targets by 2030, now five years away.
Is Fit-for-55 also fit-for-people?
The European Commission’s assessment of the final NECPs states we are well on track to meet the Fit for 55 goals through the targets, policies and pathways outlined in the final plans, but are all these fit for people as well? Are people put at the center of the transition?
The NGO analysis, “EU climate goals at risk – NECPs’ ambitious implementation must close the gaps”, exposes persistent structural issues — from ambition and financing to just transition, public participation, and enforcement — that continue to limit the full potential of these climate plans. Yet, the most overlooked — and most crucial — actor in this transition remains people themselves, who must be at its core.
Through these plans, Member States have the opportunity to support vulnerable households, reduce and prevent the rise of further inequalities and safeguard human rights. In particular, the plans can tackle energy and transport poverty, elaborate on the socio-economic impacts of outlined policies and measures, identify and support the sectors most affected by the transition in terms of re/upskilling needs.
But our analysis reveals major gaps to address: too many Member States approach these plans as a mere compliance exercise, rather than a strategic planning tool and this is even more so reflected by the insufficient incorporation of just transition elements by most governments.
Amongst them:
- National Energy and Climate Plans are only as strong as the processes to implement them: several gaps are hindering the full implementation of NECPs by 2030 and we need to fill them.
- Climate and energy policy must be rooted in fundamental rights and must be backed up by social acceptance: the inclusion of civil society is pivotal to deliver a transition for all and leave no one behind.
- Social fairness is not an add-on, but a fundamental dimension of the climate and energy transition.
- We must ensure the right to clean, affordable, sustainable energy and transport.
- Protect marginalised groups from disproportionate burdens, taking into account the specificities of particular national and socio-economic contexts.
- Policy frameworks must be aligned with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and international human rights law.
- Mainstream gender equality in NECPs and overall climate and energy policy.
Quotes from some of the speakers.
Anna Sekula: Fundamental rights are not optional: they are legal obligations that must guide EU climate and energy transition to ensure no one is left behind.
Tsvetelina Natcheva: Achieving the EU climate objectives requires a profound economic transformation that must be accompanied by an increasing focus on the social dimension. This involves for instance supporting industrial sectors which need to transform and regions where they are most present, ensuring creation of quality jobs, and developing skills to help individuals seize opportunities in strategic sectors. Assisting vulnerable households and creating an inclusive policy making process is also key. Collaboration is needed across EU, national, and local levels to make this a success. The updated national energy and climate plans reflect growing attention to these areas, though further progress is necessary. We will continue partnering with Member States through initiatives like the Council Recommendation for a Fair Transition, the European Fair Transition Observatory, and the Union of Skills, alongside financial tools like the Just Transition Fund and Social Climate Fund to help enable to achieve the EU climate and energy objectives in a fair way.
Giula Nardi: Fast, fair climate action can save us from crisis — and bring €1 trillion in EU benefits by 2030.
A transition that fails to recognise people’s rights, roles, and realities is unlikely to gain the societal buy-in needed to achieve deep, lasting change. We therefore aim to work at the identified opportunities and shortcomings for a timely and fair implementation of the climate plans where people, equity, affordability and inclusion are placed at the core of the transition.
