Just Transition and the EU

This chapter addresses Just Transition from the European perspective. The notion of Just Transition is an important pillar of the European Green Deal. In the EU, in the aftermath of the financial crises and then increased by the COVID-19 crises, income and wealth inequality, social mobility, poverty, and precarious work conditions have followed a downward trajectory. At the same time, measures to deal with environment and climate change challenges could put even more Europeans at risk. This is evident when focusing on regions dependent on fossil fuel extraction. Vulnerabilities, however, may also arise because of increasing energy prices and the general transition from “brown” to “green” jobs. Without targeted actions, there will be winners and losers, and many types of inequality in Europe may rise to new levels. In this chapter we first describe inequalities in Europe, emphasizing socioecological inequalities. Second, we highlight how the distributive and procedural aspects of environmental and climate justice are dealt with in the European Green Deal and its follow-up interventions, as well as how the different elements regarding these interventions have been criticized. Third, we present alternative ideas for a Just Transition proposed by the Green New Deal for Europe Coalition in the Blueprint for Europe’s Just Transition. Fourth, we introduce a Global South perspective, viewing EU policies regarding Just Transition as Eurocentric and taking too limited responsibility for global socioecological justice.