Abstract
The move towards a climate neutral economy and society requires policymakers and practitioners to carefully consider the core technical, social, and spatial dimensions of a just transition. This paper closely examines the processes undertaken during the development of EU Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs) for the three Swedish regions of Gotland, Norrbotten, and Västra Götaland. The aim is to establish whether the content and actions outlined in the TJTPs were driven by the technical, social, or spatial dimensions of a just transition. The analysis is primarily based on a socio-economic and governance impact assessment conducted in each region as part of the TJTP formulation process. These data are also supported by observations of the TJTP development process by the article authors who were part of the team put together by DG Reform to work with the preparation of the TJTPs. The paper finds that the TJTPs development process was largely driven by technical considerations, rather than spatial and socio-economic issues. This indicates that a more open and inclusive place-based territorial approach to climate transition policy formulation and implementation is required. A balance between the technical, social, and spatial elements of a just transition is needed if policies are going to meet the requirements of local and regional citizens and provide sustainable socio-economic growth and environmental protection, without risks of delocalizing energy-intensive processes to other regions.
Highlights
Climate transitions will challenge our economies and societies during the years to come
It is important to balance between acknowledging the rights of the European Union (EU), nation states, and regions to interpret and implement the concept in different ways, while attempting to provide some coherence, so that plans can be implemented smoothly in a way that meets the needs of local citizens
It is not surprising that the actions outlined in the Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs) emphasize the technical and economic imperatives of transition as the TJTP development process was driven by representatives of the Swedish national government, regional public authorities, and sectoral actors
Summary
Climate transitions will challenge our economies and societies during the years to come. These transformations provide a great opportunity to avert climate risks and define long-term sustainable socio-economic and environmental development pathways; before the benefits of systemic climate transition can be fully realized, societies will have to deal with the short-term socio-economic and governance-related impacts caused by these changes. The impacts of climate transformations will not be neutral from a territorial perspective. The concept of the ‘just transition’ is starting to gain momentum as it lays at the heart of the European Union’s (EU) Green Deal [2] and the United Nations (UN) Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals [3].
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