23. March 2022Phase out Coal Slower or Faster? Effects of Russia’s War in Ukraine on the Just Transition

An exceptional kick-off event to CINTRAN’s capacity-building programme for coal+ regions

This event happened online on 6 April 2022. To read the post-event blog entry on “Effects of Russia’s war on European coal phase-out” click here. 

The CINTRAN consortium is following the repercussions of Putin’s war in Ukraine on the political economy of the energy market in Europe. That is why we exceptionally decided to focus our kick-off event on how it is affecting European coal+ regions, with insights of practitioners from Estonia, Germany, Poland, Romania and Sweden.”

CINTRAN presents: Phase out coal slower or faster? Effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine on the Just Transition

Putin and his supporters have instigated this war on Ukraine which not only is inordinately harming the country’s citizens, but it also connects to European energy security and choices. Energy supplies are weaponized as oil and gas revenues sustain the Russian military apparatus. This has caused a major change in the political economy of decarbonization in general and questions about the future of coal. Energy security concerns are taking center stage. With sky-high natural gas, petrol and electricity prices, economic objectives also saliently feature in the debate. At the same time, renewable energy has been lauded as “freedom energy” and a way to reduce dependency from Russian imports.

These changes affect the transformation of carbon-intensive regions across Europe. Political goals and targets are being called into question creating or increasing uncertainty over the future of coal, oil shale and peat mined and exploited in such coal+ regions.

The objective of CINTRAN’s first online event is to learn how the war in Ukraine and its ripple effects on the political economy play out in selected carbon-intensive regions. How does it affect just transition planning? Which energy policy strategies are emerging in response? And what are the options to combine and secure a low-cost supply of energy, reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuel imports and ensure that decarbonization objectives can still be successfully navigated during this crisis?

 

 

Details about the kick-off event:

  • Date: Wednesday 6th April 2022 at 15:00 – 16:30 CEST
  • Title: Phase out coal slower or faster? Effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine on the Just Transition
  • Speakers:
    • Pao-Yu Oei (Europa-Universität Flensburg)
    • Jessica Jewell (Chalmers University of Technology)
  • Panelists:
    • Krzysztof Kobyłka (WiseEuropa)
    • Janika Laht (Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU)
    • Lukas Hermwille (Wuppertal Institute)
    • Gloria Popescu (ISPE)
  • Format: Expert analysis followed by a facilitated panel discussion

The CINTRAN consortium already had intentions to present a public capacity-building programme to empower practitioners anyway, but this war has brought into stark focus the urgent need for coal+ transitions to be accelerated even more. This inaugural event is therefore the first in a series of other capacity-building events open to anyone with a passion for making the energy transition a just transition. We heartily invite you to join this first event and any others in the series, ask questions and deepen your knowledge to help drive forward your own just energy transition!

 

Registration/Participation:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bePdjPvOSh-VOtqZ-RZ8mA

 

Contact

George Stiff
george.stiff (at) iclei.org | ICLEI Europe

The CINTRAN project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 884539. The sole responsibility for the content of this website lies with the authors and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of CINEA or other EU agencies or bodies.