Abstract

Abstract 
 Never before in modern times has Working Europe been faced with such a fundamental and far-reaching transition pressure. We are in the beginning of two powerful transition processes, the innovation-driven digital transformation, and the policy-driven climate transition. On the top of these processes we are now facing a pandemic-driven restructuring of important sectors of our economies. Are our labour market regimes and policies fit for these challenges? Are we finally witnessing “the end of work” and an extended period of being Left Behind? Or can we build up capacities to deal with these three fundamental challenges? In this paper the authors discuss these issues based on the most recent labour market research and statistics and present some preliminary conclusions on the new forms of transition mechanism, and the scaling-up of European and national labour market transition policies as part of the Next Europe recovery strategy. It is not easy to predict the content, quality and volume of a skill development needs caused by the triple challenge of climate change, digitalisation, and Covid-19. We suggest, however, that the EU Commission should develop a transition capacity indicator corresponding to at least one fifth of the labour force and to recommend new springboards and bridges to work for the next years to come. We are convinced that this is the most productive and profitable investment Europe can do.
 Keywords: Digitalisation, climate change, green deal, Covid-19, just transition, skill gap

Highlights

  • Never before in modern times has Working Europe been faced with such a fundamental and far-reaching transition pressure

  • The increasingly significant element in the 2020s is that the transformation of society, enterprises, and workplaces will be driven by two strong forces: the energy- and climate transition to low carbon-energy and renewable energy, and the ongoing digital transformation in its many new forms such as AI, IoT, 5G and Big Data

  • The structural, economic, and social impact of Covid-19 on the labour market and working conditions has given the metaphor of The Black Swan a new, unexpected, and unhappy face

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Summary

The twin challenges of digitalisation and climate transition

The increasingly significant element in the 2020s is that the transformation of society, enterprises, and workplaces will be driven by two strong forces: the energy- and climate transition to low carbon-energy and renewable energy, and the ongoing digital transformation in its many new forms such as AI, IoT, 5G and Big Data. By using the concept of Electricity 4.0, we want to highlight the need and importance of new zero-carbon energy systems in a future perspective. It is a twin concept to Industry 4.0, which is more familiar and has been used for some years Together, they are core actors in the transformation on European workplaces and societies. Climate transition is a grand challenge for Research & Innovation (R&I) and the European Innovation system. It comprises the demand for new skills and educational investment on a scale far beyond present investment. The greening of our economies will create millions of jobs as we adopt sustainable practices and clean technologies, but other jobs will disappear, as countries scale back their carbon- and resource-intensive industries.[2]

The erratic pandemic shocking working and living conditions in Europe
The skills gap is widening
What is the EU response to the skills challenges?
New springboards and new bridges to work
What the EU and Member States must do
Just transition
Workplace innovations
New resources
Full Text
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