Impact Matrix Report

Coal regions are particularly vulnerable to and affected by the planned changes needed to reduce pollution and move towards a climate neutral society. The Just Transition principle aims to ensure that decarbonisation policies do not harm some parts of society and communities more than others. As such, countries that are part of the European Union have developed so called Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs). The following research aims to develop an impact matrix and a set of indicators to assess the extent to which TJTPs address key impacts related to just transition and how these can be quantified. We conducted a literature review to select key impacts and then conducted both a qualitative and quantitative analysis in six just transition regions. We find that the impacts of decarbonisation on communities in coal regions are negative, mostly social and demographic, but there are gaps in the definition and measurement of multiple transition impacts. These gaps should be addressed in each region to define tailored policies and investments that can help minimise negative impacts and capitalise on positive benefits for communities. The multiple-impacts approach outlined in this report can contribute to better define and assess regional impacts of transition towards climate neutrality and support the development of measures that minimise negative impacts and enable truly just transitions.