As part of the implementation of the “SAŠA Centre for Just Transition” operation, the Savinjska-Šaleška Region Development Agency organised a study visit to the 10th Conference of the Just Transition Platform in Brussels between 15 and 16 October 2024.

The Just Transition Platform helps stakeholders to make use of the support offered by the Just Transition Mechanism, including the Just Transition Fund. The Platform actively promotes the exchange of best practices among all stakeholders involved in delivering a just transition on the ground. It supports coal regions and regions with carbon-intensive activities across the EU in achieving a just transition. Twice a year, the platform organises a conference to inform stakeholders in transition regions about support mechanisms and good practices, as well as the challenges facing individual regions.

In addition to representatives of the SAŠA Centre for Just Transition, representatives of the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant, the Velenje Coal Mine and the Velenje Municipal Utility Company also took part in the study visit.

The programme included presentations of projects financed by the Just Transition Fund that are already underway, as well as support programmes that stakeholders in coal regions can use to strengthen capacities, exchange best practices, develop solutions, and provide direct technical support to regions in their just transition process and the implementation of regional just transition plans.

Particular emphasis was placed on maintaining economic competitiveness in Europe during the transition to climate neutrality by providing support to SMEs and attracting new strategic industries to coal and carbon-intensive regions. The experiences of women entrepreneurs and European and international government bodies that organise support for entrepreneurship and projects promoting the empowerment of women to set up innovative activities in green sectors were also presented.

A public sector loan instrument was presented, which aims to help regions mitigate the social and economic effects of the just transition process through a combination of grants and loans, and the experiences of beneficiaries were shared. Conference participants also learned about the experiences of regional representatives in preparing degraded areas for transformation, rehabilitation, and ultimately reuse (ownership, decontamination, renaturalisation, sustainable energy, business investment, tourism, etc.).

As part of the event, we also focused on networking with representatives of the Directorate-General for Cohesion and Regional Policy, other European Commission bodies, and representatives of regions in transition.

The activities of the SAŠA Centre for Just Transition are fully funded by technical assistance from the Just Transition Fund.