News

Monitoring the progress of Just Transitions – a challenged path to success 

31/10/2024

Topics:

Capacity building
Implementing energy and climate measures at local level

Project:

Insights from Jiu Valley, Romania – getting onboard the last train for economic revival 

Author: Maria Boatcă

The Just Transition generates significant long-term gains for all its beneficiary regions. However, monitoring the Just Transition has specific downsides and challenges (depending on the specifics of each region), generating the need for mechanisms and mitigation actions targeting its less performing sides. 

The topic was successfully approached during “Keeping an eye on the transition: are we monitoring our progress”, webinar (find the event materials here), where several JUSTEM representatives discussed challenges, opportunities, and solutions to measure progress and monitor governance.  Asociatia “Institutul Social Valea Jiului” (AISVJ), the Romanian partner of the JUSTEM project, participated in the webinar, discussing challenges specific to the Jiu Valley microregion. 

This topic was further developed in a scientific paper presented during the 11th edition of the International Multidisciplinary Symposium “UNIVERSITARIA SIMPRO 2024”. Focusing on the topic of “Quality and innovation in education, research and industry – the success triangle for a sustainable economic, social and environmental development”, the conference gathered together academics from Romania and abroad. 

The AISVJ team participated in the UNIVERSITARIA SIMPRO conference with a paper entitled “Monitoring the Just Transition in Jiu Valley, Romania”. Setting the context regarding the specifics of the Romanian legal structure of monitoring entities and the main aspects that defy effective monitoring of the Just Transition projects and absorption of funds, the paper reveals major areas of improvement to be considered by all concerned stakeholders. 

Therefore, three key challenges were identified:  

  • over-exceeding funding over a short timeframe, leading to slow absorption of funds. 
  • monitoring committees manifest a tendency towards formalism, with implications on communication and efficiency in engaging interested parties. 
  • majority of public authorities have a hierarchical structure with many levels, which poses concerns in terms of transparency, taking responsibility and transparency in communication. 

The paper concludes that the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) is the “last train” for the economic revival of Jiu Valley due to the significant investment opportunities oriented towards upskilling and reskilling the basic and medium level educated population, as well as improving sustainability practices by implementing specific environmental policies. Therefore, monitoring the implementation of JTM initiatives is very important for ensuring high participation in project calls and effective implementation of selected project proposals. The identified challenges in monitoring the implementation of the JTM must be addressed to minimize the risks posed by potential improper implementation of the Just Transition in Jiu Valley. 

Steps have been taken to overcome the identified challenges, but there is a long way to go. Monitoring the just transition mechanism is essential to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon economy is achieved in a fair, efficient and sustainable way, minimizing the negative impact on vulnerable regions and maximizing their economic and social benefits. 

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