A socially just transition to carbon neutrality
A just transition is a holistic and proactive concept that should encompass all of society and all policies. A just transition guarantees that we all have a place in the green transition and that the most vulnerable, poor, and marginalized are not sacrificed in the process.
Vision
A just transition entails a shift towards a fairer and more sustainable society, mitigating the negative economic and social impacts of the green transition. By prioritising social justice, workers’ rights and the well-being of communities, a just transition will bring about a fair distribution of resources and opportunities, guaranteeing that all members of society, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from the green transition. It’s about building a sustainable and fair Europe for all. Read more about SOLIDAR’s work for a just transition.
Key asks
- The EU should ensure that the European Green Deal is followed by a European Green, Social and Global Deal that promotes an economy of sustainable prosperity for all and better aligns the goals of the green transition with the EPSR principles. It should adopt a holistic, coordinated and integrated approach to policy making, implementation and monitoring. Key measures include a Fair and Just Transition Law and a revision of the European Climate Law to set measurable objectives for a just transition and facilitate policy coherence, and an EU Directive for a just transition of the world of work to anticipate and manage closures and transformations in affected sectors in a just way.The EU should adopt a global approach to just transition in its relations with Global South countries to ensure policy coherence, and accelerate the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement objectives. It should increase incentives and grants for partner countries to pursue their own just transition processes. The European Green and Social Deal should also be a Global Deal and have a strong external dimension to guarantee a fair distribution of the costs and benefits of the transition between Europe and partner countries. The trade-offs between the EU’s internal and external priorities is a false dichotomy.
- The EU should mobilise massive investment for a just transition and develop a financing strategy that equitably redistributes the costs and benefits of the transition through both a territorial and a whole-of-society systemic approach. It should align existing financial instruments with just transition goals and principles, extend the Just Transition Mechanism beyond 2027 and increase the Just Transition Fund to cover more regions and sectors, and strengthen the Social Climate Fund by rebating 100% of ETS2 revenues.
- The EU should step up efforts to assess the distributional and wider socio-economic impacts of climate and environmental initiatives in Europe and beyond, conduct independent research to improve knowledge of the opportunities and challenges of the green transition and improve the use of data for policy making, including through the establishment of scientific panels and Just Transition Observatories.
- The EU should foster the development and implementation of national, regional and sectoral just transition strategies and plans, as well as territorial just transition agreements to revitalise affected areas in a just manner. It should ensure that MS adopt a comprehensive just transition approach in line with the Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality.
What have we done so far?
- We lead the European Alliance for a Just Transition, a coalition of over 40 European stakeholders committed to advancing climate action alongside social justice.
- We contributed to the drafting of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Exploratory Opinion “Advancing the EU’s just transition policy framework: what measures are necessary” at the request of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, whose priorities include the promotion of a just transition. SOLIDAR welcomes this Opinion and urges policymakers to use it as a blueprint for the social and economic transformation of our time.
- We launched the “Global Just Transition: Not Just for E(U)“ campaign, calling for a strong external dimension of the Green Deal and the end of double standards in EU policies.
