Justice in transition and empowerment against energy poverty (JUSTEM)

Description

It’s a critical time for energy transitions: on one side, “code red” lights up for net-zero targets; on the other side, some EU member states call for a smoother phase-out of coal to compensate for the shortage of fossil gas and high energy prices caused by the Russian war on Ukraine.

Truth is, a higher share of renewable energy correlates positively with lower energy prices: more efficient households and electrification of heat supply have provided an important buffer for some consumers. However, in coal-dependent economies energy transition means much more than switching to solar panels and wind turbines.

When coal is king, energy transition plans may challenge the social ecosystem: if they fail to consider local factors, they may cause higher unemployment rates, aggravated energy poverty, and economic migration.

Leaving no one behind

In the spirit of the EU principle to “leave no one behind” in the transition, JUSTEM supported 6 European coal regions: Stara Zagora (Bulgaria), Istria (Croatia), Western Macedonia (Greece), Silesia (Poland), Jiu Valley (Romania) and Asturias (Spain) through a double-sided approach:

1. It helped regional authorities to develop ‘just’ transition plans that are sensitive to regional impacts such as
   job losses and energy poverty; and
2. It helped citizens learn about structural changes and express their ideas for a greener region.