EC - Coal Regions in Transition - 26th January 2023
Andrzej B?achowicz, the Managing Director of the Climate Strategies & International Lead Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition Secretariat of the European Commission, spoke at the launch event of the OECD Toolkit to measure well-being in mining regions on January 26, 2023. His presentation focused on accelerating the green transition in mining communities, and included an overview of the EU just transition landscape, policy context, and supporting programs and initiatives such as the European Green Deal and the Just Transition Mechanism. He also highlighted the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition, which was established in 2017 to support European coal, peat, and oil shale regions with the transition to a low-carbon economy. The initiative provides various activities and programs, including meetings and exchange forums, knowledge products, technical assistance, and international activities. Finally, B?achowicz offered some reflections on the importance of toolkits with measurement tools, which help stakeholders to focus not only on what needs to happen in the transition, but also why.
EC - Coal Regions in Transition - 26th January 2023
- 1. Accelerating the green transition in mining communities Andrzej B?achowicz Managing Director, Climate Strategies & International Lead Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition Secretariat Launch event of the OECD Toolkit to measure well-being in mining regions, 26 January 2023
- 2. I N I T I A T I V E F O R C O A L R E G I O N S I N T R A N S I T I O N ? European Green Deal includes Just Transition chapter (2019) ? Establishment of the Just Transition Mechanism (2020), including the Just Transition Fund and two other funding streams that mobilise up to approximately €60 billion over the period 2021- 2027 to support coal and carbon-intensive regions. ? Access to Just Transition Mechanism grant funding requires development of a Territorial Just Transition Plan. EU just transition landscape Policy context and supporting programmes and initiatives
- 3. I N I T I A T I V E F O R C O A L R E G I O N S I N T R A N S I T I O N ? Initiative for coal regions in transition (2017) ? Just Transition Platform (2020) ? Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition Western Balkans & Ukraine (2020) ? Innovation Regions for a Just Transition - IKI-JET (2022) ? Other funding programmes e.g. LIFE, Horizon2020/Horizon Europe EU just transition landscape Supporting programmes and initiatives
- 4. I N I T I A T I V E F O R C O A L R E G I O N S I N T R A N S I T I O N Background ? Established in 2017 to support European coal, peat and oil shale (coal+) regions with tackling the challenges related to the transition to a low-carbon economy. ? Bringing together stakeholders from various backgrounds to exchange knowledge and experience between EU regions undergoing a similar transition. Initiative for coal regions in transition Activities ? Technical assistance START: Targeted support for regions on transition topics such as strategy development, governance, stakeholder engagement. ? ExchangeEU programme: Peer-to-peer exchanges between EU regions to establish long- term connections that can accelerate the clean energy transition. ? International activities: outreach and exchange with non-EU regions and initiatives working towards a clean energy transition. Activities ? Meetings and exchange forums: Next meeting: Just Transition Platform conference 25-26 April, Brussels ? Knowledge products: Studies, webinars, toolkits, e.g. on district heating and transition financing.
- 5. I N I T I A T I V E F O R C O A L R E G I O N S I N T R A N S I T I O N Identify and engage in t erna tional initia tiv es and s t ak eholder s w orking t o w ar ds a jus t tr ansition fr om c oal Sho wcase the e xperiences and bes t pr actices fr om EU c oal+ r egions thr ough in t erna tional e v en ts, mee tings and f orums Promote c ollabor a tion be tw een EU and non-EU c oal+ r egions, sharing g ood pr actices fr om the EU as w ell as supporting EU r egions thr ough e xperience fr om the in t erna tional c oal+ c ommunity CRIT International Activities
- 6. Reflections ¡ì Well-being = Just Transition? (competing definitions) ¡ì No single picture of transition status in the EU as trajectories have changed due to energy crisis. ¡ì Well-being means different things to different people, especially when we look beyond OECD (e.g. an indigenous forest community in Kenya may view the forest as having a relational/cultural value, whereas in the EU one may think of forests in terms of their resource-value to humans (carbon sinks, wood, etc.)) ¡ì In many transitions too much focus has been given to economic, technological, environmental aspects and not enough to community/social. ¡ì Toolkits with measurement tools are crucial as they force stakeholders to think not only what needs to happen in transition but also why.
- 7. Thank you secretariat@coalregions.eu Website #CoalRegionsEU Twitter: @Energy4Europe DG Energy¡¯s YouTube channels andrzej.blachowicz @climatestrategies.org