Europe’s transition to a clean and affordable energy system is underway. To be successful, it requires concrete political action and significant investment. And it must be fair and equitable for all.
Europe’s diversity is reflected in the different challenges it faces in this transition.
For regions that have traditionally depended on coal, lignite, peat or oil shale for jobs and their economy, the critical transformation of our energy system poses unique challenges. Islands – of which there are 2,400 in the EU – are constrained by specific geographical circumstances and require specially tailored solutions for the energy transition. Meanwhile, in all EU countries, there are groups suffering from energy poverty – representing 10.6% of Europe’s population in 2023.
Pursuing a just energy transition means taking steps to ensure that none of these people are left behind.
“The transition to clean energy belongs to the people and can only be achieved by them, with them and for them. Yet many people are concerned about their jobs, skills or other changes that the transition will require. We are listening to these concerns to ensure that we address them specifically by offering targeted support for on-the-job training, reskilling and economic diversification. Together, we can ensure a fair transition where every citizen benefits fully from the advantages of a secure and sustainable Energy Union.” (Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen)
This EC publication looks at some of the European Commission’s key initiatives focused on the social dimension of the energy transition.
Coal regions in transition
Coal use in the EU is declining. Having played an important role in the EU’s energy mix until recently, between 2018 and 2023 it saw a sharp decline of 42% for hard coal and 40% for lignite.
2022 was a symbolic year: solar energy overtook coal as the EU’s largest source of electricity for the first time. Of the 13 EU countries that produced black coal in 1990, only two remain in 2023: Poland (97% of total EU black coal production) and the Czech Republic (3%). But even here, the change is remarkable: since 2012, the last year when coal production peaked in Poland, the country has reduced it by 39%, and its southern neighbour by 88%. With our transition to cleaner alternatives, it is crucial that communities and regions that have traditionally depended on the coal industry, as well as lignite and peat (known as ‘coal+’ regions) for their livelihoods, are prepared to make a successful transition. For regions with higher coal production, diversification towards cleaner and more future-oriented industries can help mitigate challenges such as job losses and demographic and social change.
In this regard, early engagement with local communities and other stakeholders is essential. The European Commission’s Initiative for the Transition of Coal Regions is actively helping to achieve this.
Closely linked to the Just Transition Platform, the initiative enables a unique bottom-up approach that allows each region to identify and exploit the best opportunities and solutions in its unique context.
In practice, public administrations and other stakeholders can benefit from a wide range of support measures and materials provided by the initiative, including technical assistance, exchanges with partners from other regions participating in the Coal+ programme, information products and events.
An important event in the initiative’s calendar each year is the Annual Policy Dialogue. The 2025 edition will take place in Konin, Poland, on 24 and 25 June, during the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. This will be an opportunity for stakeholders from EU regions using coal+ to exchange information on progress achieved so far and to hold an open, future-oriented discussion on the competitiveness of coal+ transition regions.
Clean energy for EU islands
The EU is home to 2,400 islands inhabited by 20 million people – together they would make the 6th most populous country in the EU! Although many of these islands have abundant access to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and wave energy, they often lack the necessary infrastructure and incentives and, for historical reasons, depend on expensive imports of fossil fuels for their energy.
To address the unique challenges of islands in the energy transition, the European Commission’s initiative “Clean Energy for EU Islands” offers a long-term framework to help them generate clean energy, thereby contributing to lower energy costs, better energy security, improved air quality and new job and business opportunities.
The Secretariat of the Clean Energy for EU Islands initiative supports a large group of islands (147 as of 2017) and, as part of its 30 by 2030 programme, supports 30 islands and island groups in 10 EU countries to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030.
The programme offers technical and organisational support with energy planning, storage, transport and more. A parallel ‘island follower programme’ allows other islands to learn from these pioneers through training, expert advice and experience sharing, helping them to develop their own clean energy transition. One of the main objectives is to demonstrate that islands can move away from fossil fuels and use renewable energy-based systems, and that this is much cheaper and cleaner than transporting fossil fuels to islands and burning them to produce energy.
Island communities, experts and stakeholders gathered in the Azores on 14 and 15 May for the Clean Energy for EU Islands 2025 Forum to discuss how island communities are tackling the social, environmental, technical and economic dimensions of projects, with a focus on four thematic pillars: renewable energy production, sustainable transport, energy efficiency, and infrastructure and networks.
Advisory Centre on Energy Poverty
Tackling the root causes of energy poverty, which affects over 10% of the EU population, is central to ensuring a just energy transition for all in the EU.
Energy poverty affects citizens in every EU country. It occurs when a household has to reduce its energy consumption to a level that negatively impacts the health and well-being of its members, and is mainly due to three main causes:
- a high share of household expenditure spent on energy
- low income
- low energy efficiency of buildings and appliances
The COVID-19 crisis, followed by the surge in energy prices and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has increased energy poverty in the EU, exacerbating an already difficult situation. In addition, climate change and more frequent heat waves mean that summer energy poverty, the inability to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature during the summer, is a growing problem in Europe.
The Energy Poverty Advisory Centre is the EU’s flagship initiative for local action against energy poverty. It provides online guidance and information products for local and regional authorities on diagnosing, measuring and planning action to tackle energy poverty. Its resources include publications, an interactive database of projects and measures to tackle energy poverty, and a series of relevant courses. Local authorities can also apply for calls for technical assistance to help them take direct action on energy poverty.
