What kinds of technical assistance do Just Transition regions actually need?
The transition of entire regions, and striving towards a sustainable, green and climate-neutral economy requires both a systemic approach aimed at providing comprehensive and overarching strategies, but also providing detailed, tailor-made and co-designed support for smaller stakeholders so that it really is a just transition, leaving no one behind.
It is a grand undertaking, meaning we need to constantly monitor and adapt to what issues occur on the ground, and also be innovative in how we approach the encountered problems. We, as NGOs working on the ground in the different Just Transition regions, have direct access to information about what is working and what is not, but do not have the capacity to answer all of the needs we identify, which is why we bring these issues also to your attention, in hopes we can find solutions together.
More than two years into the development of the Territorial Just Transition Plans, we continue to see gaps in adequate preparation for both the overall just transition process and for individual projects responding to particular challenges. Local stakeholders, among them local governments, are repeatedly doing what they can to prepare for the most effective use of Just Transition funds. But past experience may not be enough to meet the magnitude of the challenges posed by just transition.
- The establishment of regional Just Transition Support Centres to provide information, support and assistance
- Dedicated staff to support smaller stakeholders in developing good-quality projects.
- Common methodologies and standards for monitoring and evaluating Just Transition processes.
- Dedicated support to finalise plans urgently before the end of 2022.