10th Just Transition Platform Conference

Twice a year, the European Commission's Just Transition Platform Conference offers impetus and in-depth discussions on the economic transformation of coal regions and just structural change. The tenth edition will take place from 15 to 17 October 2024 in Brussels as well as online. The conference brings together representatives of national, local and regional authorities as well as economic and social organisations from European regions characterised by energy-intensive industries and coal mining. Prominent guests include Elisa Ferreira, EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, and Kadri Simson, EU Commissioner for Energy. 

The conference will focus in particular on the topics of promoting competitiveness, utilisation of European structural funds and female entrepreneurs in regions undergoing structural change. 

Jannis Beutel, Researcher in the International Energy Transitions Research Unit at the Wuppertal Institute, will be a panellist in the session "Conversion, Rehabilitation and Repurposing of Sites after Coal Phase-Out": Beutel will present a new toolkit that addresses the role of strategic spatial planning for the subsequent use and repurposing of coal sector sites. The toolkit, as well as other manuals and case studies, can be downloaded from the website of the host initiative ‘Coal regions in transition’ (CRiT). Since 2019, an international consortium of consultants has been running the secretariat for the CRiT initiative. The Wuppertal Institute is part of the consortium, collecting and expanding knowledge and thus generating a scientific foundation for the initiative's various activities.

On the last day of the event, a debate organised by the European Committee of the Regions will be held: The "Multi-Level Dialogue on Just Transition". The dialogue format is intended to promote exchange between different levels of governance on just structural change processes throughout Europe. Representatives of civil society, local and regional authorities – such as city council members, mayors, governors or regional parliament members – as well as members of national level governments, the European Commission, the European Parliament or the European Council are warmly invited. Separate registration is required for the dialogue, participation is possible on site and digitally. 

Further information and the possibility to register are available via the links below. The registration deadline for personal attendance ends on 24 September, registration for online participation via livestream is also possible beyond that date.