Just Transition

This cooperation, going on for the past couple of years, led to this very unique event aiming to provide local progressive politicians, trade unionists and actors of environmental movements with a space for discussion and debates.

We believe that a genuine energy transition, both fair towards workers and citizens-consumers, can only be achieved through active cooperation between policy makers, representatives of the labour movement and climate activists at every stage – from production to redistribution.

The organisers of the conference, which is the first of a series of yearly events, decided to focus on different regions across Europe whith a high dependency on the coal industry, so that the above-mentioned actors could engage in a constructive dialogue where the issue of just transition is even more of crucial relevance.

You will find below the conference’s extensive report drafted by Manuela Kropp, policy advisor at the European Parliament and member of the organising team, as well as the videos of all the sessions which made up the conference.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Manuela Kropp, policy advisor, European parliament

Reader based on results of the Conference “Just Transition”

5 December 2016 in Brussels

Conference organised by the Delegation DIE LINKE. in the European Parliament, Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels in cooperation with transform! europe on 5 December 2016 in Brussels

The Paris agreement on climate change should accelerate the decarbonisation of the global economy, since, for the first time, all countries have committed to become carbon neutral by the end of this century. Europe should achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Writing this reader in May 2017 it is still not sure if Trump and the U.S. will pull out of the climate agreement. Whereas ambitious objectives have been established in the climate agreement, the concrete strategy to make the low-carbon industry a reality in Europe is still to be developed. This is especially true in regions which rely heavily on carbon intensive activities and which often remain important employment providers.

For this reason we have invited mayors and local politicians from coal regions in Germany, Poland and Spain, trade unionists, members of parliaments, politicians from different member states and parties and climate activists to discuss the concept of “Just Transition” and possible opportunities and barriers to its implementation.

For the full version, please refer to the PDF on the right.

For the conference programme please click here.

As a follow-up the delegation DIE LINKE. in the European parliament, the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung and transform! europe will organise the next conference on “Just Transition” on 4 December 2017 in Brussels.