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Just transition is the term used to describe the transition to a climate-neutral economy while securing the future and livelihoods of workers and their communities. A just transition to a climate-neutral economy provides and guarantees better and decent jobs, social protection, more training opportunities and greater job security for all workers affected by global warming and climate change policies.
Eurofound's research is shaped by the key challenges for social cohesion and a just transition in a changing environment. It covers the areas of working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living conditions, providing evidence that can assist policy action.
Main topics linked with the move towards a just transition include working conditions and sustainable work, employment and labour markets, digitalisation, the future of manufacturing, people’s living conditions and well-being, restructuring, skills and training and youth, among others. Research findings could potentially feed into the work of the Just Transition Platform, which assists EU Member States and regions to unlock the support available through the Just Transition Mechanism.
Eurofound also collaborates with the European Environment Agency (EEA) on research around the transition to a climate-neutral economy, in particular environmental and socioeconomic convergence.
A just transition at European level focuses on two core issues for transition, moving towards a green and digital Europe where no one will be left behind.
As a committed party to the Paris Climate Agreement, the EU submitted its long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategy to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in March 2020. It sets out the extent of the transition across sectors and regions and lays the ground for designing a just transition.
At the heart of the EU’s long-term strategy is the European Green Deal, which is one of six European Commission priorities for 2019–2024 and the compass to guide Member States towards a green transition that is fair for all citizens. It will contribute to the financing of the transition that Europe faces through its Just Transition Mechanism. In the political guidelines for the next European Commission 2024–2029, Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the importance of staying the course with the European Green Deal goals and committed to a significant increase in funding for a just transition across the next long-term budget. This will go hand in hand with the development of a Quality Jobs Roadmap.
Responding to the way digital technology is changing our lives, another Commission priority is to create a Europe fit for the digital age, leading the transition to a healthy planet and a new digital world through its European Digital Strategy.
In January 2020, the European Commission presented its Communication ‘A strong social Europe for just transitions’. This vision to reinforce social Europe prepared the way for an Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights, which is the European social strategy to make sure that the ‘transitions of climate neutrality, digitalisation and demographic change are socially fair and just’.
Eurofound’s work related to the just transition links in with several of the Commission’s 2019–2024 priorities, and is highly relevant here.
