Coal Regions in Transition: Planning for a just transition in the light of energy (in)security

The seminars feature inputs from experts working on implementing just energy transition, including representatives from the coal regions in the focus of the Initiative's work. The first session focused on how the security of supply (SoS) and energy transitions are connected. In addition, we tried answering what exactly are the options for achieving SoS in the medium and long term that are currently the most pragmatic. The aim was to see how coal regions can actively manage their own transitions and through which approaches to maximize benefits for regional socio-economic development.

FES SOE Project Manager for Socio-Ecological Transformation, Selma Šehović, moderated the conversation with inputs from Ms. Katharina Hartmann (DG NEAR) as an introductory speaker from European Commission's unit on consumers, local initiatives and just transition. The opening was followed by presentations from Professor Mirza Kušljugić (ReSET Center for Sustainable energy transition, BiH) and Dr. Rumyana Grozeva (Stara Zagora, Regional Development Agency, Bulgaria).

Prof. Kušljugić covered several topics, namely the current state of arts of the coal regions in transition in the Western Balkans with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by the question of how to harmonize coal phase-out and energy security requirements, and lastly, how to plan a just energy transition, emphasizing a bottom-up approach and its importance. So far, as he says, projects for the energy transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in particular, have been a product of external projects. At the same time, inside the country, the subject is still sort of taboo.

"The real challenge is how to coordinate coal phase-down and eventual coal phase-out with a renewable scale-up. At the same time, preserving or improving, after this crisis, the security of supply. And this is a complex, technical, political, economic question. This is the challenge that we will be discussing probably in the next 10 years because we don't have all the necessary answers today. But, we do have clear indications where we should go. And we do have enough answer and technologies to start this process.

Dr. Grozeva shared valuable insight into the experiences of the Stara Zagora region in Bulgaria that hosts the Maritsa East mining and thermal power plant complex. "When we started to develop our Just Transition Plan with the support of the consultants selected  by the Commission in DG REFORM, we had started with some data gathering, analyzing them, and preparing the debate for the Just Transition Plan. Also, identifying the main advantages, regional advantages, that would be stable foundation for the slowly and step by step, leaving the security of the coals of the Power Plant, security of job places, of energy and looking for new opportunities for new job places. Dr. Grozeva used the example of Stara Zagora further to elaborate stakeholder engagement in achieving succesfull just transition, and emphasized that local authorities – especially in smaller countries – cannot handle the proces alone, but that public-private partnerships could be the potential solution.

The web seminar also had a very active audience, posting numerous questions pertaining to different stages of the just transition process, In a mini-survey 75% of the webinar participants noted that the current energy crisis will speed up the energy transition in their country, which is an encouraging level of optimism.

Further topics in the series are stakeholder engagement, energy (in)security, securing funding, and more. Make sure to keep track of the sessions and their outputs. Regular updates are available on Energy4Europe and FES SOE social media.

For more information on just energy transition in the Southeast European region and all the potential it holds, check out FES SOE's Inclusive Energy Transition in Southeast Europe as an Opportunity.