Dariusz Stankiewicz from Silesia (Poland) – Europe’s largest coal mining region – reflects on how the Initiative has supported Silesia’s just transition, and his hopes for the Initiative’s next five years.
Insights from Brussels (20/02/2024)
Véronique Marx (Team Leader for Just Transition and Energy Poverty at DG ENER) and Brieuc Posnic (International Relations Officer) from the European Commission have both been closely involved with the Initiative. They look back to the beginnings of the Initiative and ahead to what they hope it will achieve in the coming years.
Just Transition beyond the EU (20/02/2024)
We round off this series of reflections with an international perspective based on reflections from members of a recent EU delegation to the United States’ Just Transition Fund US conference.
Just Transition Platform Conference registration launched (20/02/2024)
Registration is now open for the Just Transition Platform Conference taking place from 16 to 18 April 2024. The conference will be hybrid and can be joined online or in Brussels. In-person registration slots fill up quickly, so secure your spot now!
Two technical assistance programmes now open for applications! (12/02/2024)
Both DG ENER's "START" technical assistance programme and DG REGIO's "JTP Groundwork" are currently accepting applications. Get to know which offer suits you best, or apply to both. Applications are due on 23 February and 1 March, respectively.
Five reasons to apply for START (12/02/2024)
Be sure to submit your applications to receive START technical assistance by 23 February.
REMINDER: Apply by 23 February to receive START technical assistance (02/02/2024)
A new call is now open to receive START technical assistance from the EU Initiative for Coal Regions
in Transition. Submit your application by 23 February 2024!
Apply now to receive START technical assistance (04/01/2024)
The EU Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition has launched a new call for applications to receive START technical assistance (deadline to apply: 23 February 2024).
Five years of the Secretariat of the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition (06/12/2023)
December 20, 2023 is the Secretariat’s fifth anniversary. In this piece, we reflect on the past five years.
Get ready: applications for the next round of START technical assistance open soon (06/12/2023)
On 10 January 2024, we will launch applications for actors in coal+ regions to receive START technical assistance. This round of START will particularly welcome assignments related to local and regional aspects of energy transition, such as community-based renewable energy projects and energy communities, energy efficiency, development of capacity and governance mechanisms to support energy transition at sub-national levels, repurposing of local and regional assets to facilitate energy transition, etc. Read more about START in advance of the 10 January launch date.
EU and U.S. coal communities collaborate as momentum and support for the transition builds (13/12/2023)
Reflections from a delegation of EU coal+ region stakeholders who travelled to Washington, D.C. (USA) to share experiences and innovations to support the transition processes in their regions.
Reflections from last month's Just Transition Platform Conference (21/11/2023)
Read a synthesis of the key themes and discussions featured at the eighth edition of the Just Transition Platform Conference, which took place on 23-25 October 2023. The event was hosted by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy and the Directorate-General for Energy, in co-operation with the European Committee of Regions.
District Heating toolkit now available (21/11/2023)
Heating and cooling account for roughly half of final energy consumption in the EU! Its decarbonisation is thus crucial to meeting climate and energy goals. A new toolkit presents eight options to help transform district heating, including each option’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, alongside concrete examples and recommendations.
We want to hear from you: fill in our survey (21/11/2023)
The Just Transition Platform and the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition invite all stakeholders and interested persons from coal or carbon-intensive regions in transition to complete a short survey on just transition communication.
Revisit key moments from the most recent Annual Political Dialogue (19/09/2023)
“This event is yet another occasion for representatives of [coal+] regions to meet, and deepen their cooperation, helping to make this transition a success.” – Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission
Register for the Just Transition Platform Conference (19/09/2023)
Registration is open for the 8th edition of the Just Transition Platform Conference, which will take place in Brussels on 23–25 October 2023. On 23 October, a Multilevel Dialogue organised by the European Committee of the Regions will take place, followed on 24–25 October by core JTP Conference sessions. Be sure to register by 28 September for in-person participation, and by 23 October to join virtually!
Call for just transition experts: apply now to be a JTPeers Expert (19/09/2023)
Just Transition experts are invited to be part of the JTPeers Experts Database, which is part of the European Commission’s Just Transition Platform. Experts that are part of the database can be contacted by JTF regions and stakeholders seeking expert advice. Apply to be part of the database by 29 September.
Additional updates (19/09/2023)
Stay tuned: a new Case Study on the innovative Strukturlotsen project and a Toolkit on District Heating will both be published soon on the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition’s Knowledge Products database.
Save the Date: the next Annual Meeting of the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine will take place on 27–28 November 2023
Implementing a just transition for coal+ regions (07/07/2023)
On 27–28 June, stakeholders representing coal, peat, lignite and oil shale (“coal+”) regions convened for the fourth Annual Political Dialogue in Karlovy Vary (CZ), under the Coal Regions in Transition Initiative. Stakeholders and practitioners discussed the opportunities and challenges facing regions in this unique moment in which the energy landscape is rapidly changing, while European regions are moving from just transition planning to implementation.
Interview with Petr Kulhánek, Governor of Karlovy Vary (CZ) (06/07/2023)
Interview with Petr Kulhánek, Governor of Karlovy Vary (CZ)
Additional updates (06/07/2023)
Additional updates
Lasting learnings from the exchangeEU programme for collaboration between coal regions in transition (06/07/2023)
exchangeEU, a European programme that fostered direct exchange and cooperation between coal, lignite, peat, and oil shale regions in transition (“coal+ regions”), recently came to a successful conclusion. The programme spanned two rounds of exchanges, which took place between November 2021 and June 2023, setting-up 17 exchanges among 24 coal+ regions across the EU.
Welcome to a special ‘Annual Political Dialogue preview’ newsletter edition! (10/05/2023)
Join the EU Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition on 27-28 June in Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) for the next Annual Political Dialogue! The event will give voice to leading figures in the transition – those that are designing and implementing transition on the ground in the regions, in EU capitals, and in Brussels. Registration closes on 1 June, so register today
Preview the Annual Political Dialogue programme (10/05/2023)
Stakeholders from all EU coal+ regions will gather to take stock of transition progress and discuss common challenges in today’s quickly-evolving energy landscape. The programme features strategic discussions with European leaders, including Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, on what coal regions will be confronted with on their paths to climate neutrality, and how transition can be attained in a just and inclusive way.
Discover Karlovy Vary (17/05/2023)
“For the past two decades, Karlovy Vary has been diversifying our economy, to secure our bright and prosperous future. Discover our progress in areas like district heating and enticing innovative companies, and join conversations on how Karlovy Vary Region and our peer regions can accelerate our journeys to become resilient, just and prosperous for all.”
– Petr Kulhánek, Governor of Karlovy Vary Region
Only two months to go until the next Annual Political Dialogue! (20/04/2023)
The next edition of the EU Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition’s Annual Political Dialogue is only two months away! Register now to join leading figures in the transition in Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) on 27-28 June 2023. Only the opening plenary will be livestreamed, and registration to attend the event in-person closes on 1 June. In other words: today is the best time to register to secure your spot! We look forward to convening with you in Karlovy Vary.
