In its final report, JUSTEM looks back over the main achievements, key findings and lessons learnt during the three years of the project.
The JUSTEM project supported six European coal regions in transitioning to a coal-free economy while addressing social and economic challenges such as energy poverty, unemployment, and demographic shifts. The project highlighted the vulnerability factors contributing to energy poverty, including inefficient buildings, high energy prices, and ageing populations, and emphasized the need for tailored interventions and putting citizens at the heart of the just transition process.
Hearing the voices of citizens
Through a series of workshops, JUSTEM partners engaged citizens and local authorities in discussions about the phaseout of coal. Citizen engagement revealed a strong demand for better information, active participation in policy design, and reskilling opportunities.
Key outcomes
JUSTEM developed energy poverty alleviation plans, a multiple impacts matrix, and the APOLLO-Live tool – an online voting webtool, that can facilitate stakeholder engagement during workshops. In addition, pipelines for 31 just transition projects, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and social inclusion. Policy recommendations stressed the importance of bottom-up approaches, targeted support for vulnerable groups, and investments in social and cultural cohesion.
Policy recommendations for Europe:
Promote Bottom-Up Approaches: Encourage active citizen participation in policy design and implementation to ensure inclusivity and sustainability.
Monitor Transition Impacts: Support territories in managing and monitoring the positive and negative impacts of coal phaseout to ensure just outcomes.
Address Energy Poverty: Target public funds to energy-poor communities, enabling renewable energy adoption and energy efficiency measures.
Invest in Social and Cultural Projects: Facilitate funding for projects that address social vulnerabilities and strengthen community cohesion.
The project’s tools and findings aim to influence broader EU transitions and provide a framework for future research and policy development.
For more detailed information, download the report
