Just transition in coal regions

A just transition means delivering the socio-economic transformation required to address climate change, whilst reducing inequalities in the most affected regions and ensuring the costs and benefits of the transition are spread fairly.

CAN Europe’s work on just transition started in coal regions, where the need to embrace the social and environmental dimensions together was compelling. The EU’s Coal Regions in Transition Platform (CRiT) as well as its Just Transition Mechanism (dedicated financial support scheme) agendas provided major opportunities to prepare for a fair and sustainable transition in carbon intensive regions across the EU (as opposed to transitions away from coal from the past, which in many cases were brutal and led to negative socio-economic impacts). 

Mapping of challenges and looking for solutions on a case by case basis offers a number of options for a just energy transition in the regions that are dominated by the coal industry after the phase-out of coal. For example, installation of renewable energy sources such as wind or solar combined with other green industries (circular economy, sustainable tourism, sustainable manufacturing) are a viable option in many localities. Alternatively, depending on the local culture and natural resources other economic activities can be explored, such as developing olive production in Milas, Turkey.  

While the coal phase-outs in Europe will accelerate, hopefully before 2030, the assistance to coal regions remains an important element of European policy making. We will monitor the first implementation of the Just Transition Fund in order to draw lessons for regions outside of EU.

See our publications:

– Just Transition for those depending on fossil resource extraction and combustion, Dec 2019 |
Position paper
– How is the transition to a climate-neutral economy made just?, Nov 2019 | Briefing
– Just transition or just talk 2019?, May 2019 Report
– Just transition or just talk 2020?, September 2020 | Report
– Coal regions to become renewables hubs through a just transition, Dec 2020 | blog
– A wake up call from the coal impacted community of Lazarevac, Serbia, June 2021| Report
– EU certified olive oil NOT coal for the future of Milas, Turkey, April 2022| Report

Just Transformation

Building on the work carried in coal regions, CAN Europe members developed a vision for a societal transformation (how we eat, move around, dress, consume, produce), beyond transitions in specific sectors of the economy. Just transformation includes a strong gender dimension and pays particular attention to the need to ensure that Europe’s transition does no harm to people living in the Global South. CAN Europe’s efforts have been amplified in the Alliance for Just Transition, an informal group of organisations that share a common vision for a transition to climate-neutral societies that is just and fair.

• CAN just transformation vision and principles, May 2021 | Position paper
• A Call to Deliver a Just Transition to a Social and Sustainable Europe, A Joint Declaration by the European Alliance for a Just Transition, September 2021| Statement
• CAN Europe response to the call for evidence of the European Commission on a Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality, November 2021 | submission

Socially Just Climate Action

Many policy instruments included in the Fit for 55 Package have the potential to generate both positive and negative social impacts, but the extent and direction of these outcomes depend on how the policies are designed and implemented. Climate change mitigation policy can help improve the living circumstances and health of the most vulnerable. The potential is there, but the question is whether there is political will.

CAN Europe, together with European Anti-Poverty Network, the Social Platform and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Studies, issued detailed proposals in order to maximise the positive social outcomes of policies on decarbonising the buildings sector, ensuring cleaner transport, and expanding renewable energy.

How to Maximise Social Benefits of Climate Action, May 2022 | Report

The Social Climate Fund proposed by the European Commission as part of the Fit for 55 package was meant to mitigate the adverse social impacts of the newly proposed Emissions Trading System for buildings and road transport (ETS 2). But at a moment where energy poverty is on the rise regardless of ETS 2, this fund will have an important role to play to support low and middle-income households to shift to cleaner heating and transport, while providing them with immediate short term financial support to help them pay their transport and heating bill.

Joint statement on the social climate fund, March 2022 | Statement
Joint letter by 12 NGOs to the Council regarding the social climate fund, June 2022 | Open letter