Between October 2020 and July 2021, we offered an extensive technical assistance project commissioned by the European Commission that supported the Romanian Government in preparing the Territorial Plans for Just Transition in Romania. The project was implemented by a consortium led by the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, which included Cambridge Econometrics, Eurom and MKBT’s consulting division.

The Territorial Just Transition Plans (PTJ) are the strategic planning instruments based on which 6 counties in Romania – namely Hunedoara, Gorj, Dolj, Galați, Mureș and Prahova – will be able to access funding from the Just Transition Fund (JTF).

The JTF, presented in 2020, is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism, the financing instrument for the energy transition targeted by the European Green Deal, launched in 2019. This fund focuses on providing funding for the economic diversification of the territories most affected by the climate transition process and on the re-skilling and active inclusion of employed and job seekers in these territories.

The European Green Deal sets out the path towards a new sustainable growth policy for Europe and proposes ambitious targets for achieving climate neutrality by 2050 efficiently and fairly. To achieve its climate goals, Romania needs to reduce coal mining and to carry out the conversion, modernization, or closure of installations involving the combustion of fossil fuels or other activities that generate greenhouse gases (GHGs). Therefore, the most affected territories in Romania – mentioned above – have been selected given their dependence on fossil fuels, including coal, peat, and oil shale, or on industrial processes with high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

To access funding from the JTF, Romania must draw up Territorial Just Transition Plans for all territories covered by this funding instrument. Those plans should present a blueprint for the transition process by identifying challenges in each affected territory individually, as well as existing needs and development goals to be achieved by 2030.

The main objective of this project is to support the Romanian Government in developing the Territorial Just Transition Plans for the six counties (Hunedoara, Gorj, Dolj, Galați, Mureș, and Prahova). This will be done by analyzing the current situation and development strategies for these regions and aligning actions to ensure a just transition. This process will include interviews and consultations with stakeholders at every level: national, regional, and local.

DURATION OF THE PROJECT:
October 2020 – July 2021 (9 months)

BENEFICIARY:
Ministry of Investment and European Projects

FUNDED BY:
This project is funded by the European Union through the Structural Reform Support Programme and in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support at the level of the European Commission.

More information can be found on the Just Transition Mechanism in Romania is available at: Mecanismul pentru o Tranziție Justă (gov.ro) – in Romanian only.