This joint report provides an overview of the monitoring work of GCE on the political engagement activities dedicated to youth in the implementation of the Just Transition Mechanism of the EU.
The Just Transition Mechanism is a funding programme of the EU that will mobilise around EUR 55 billion in the financial period 2021-2027 to support the decarbonisation of those regions of the EU that rely on the production or consumption of fossil fuels (coal, oil, peat, gas…). Since those regions are expected to suffer in economic and social terms from the phasing out of fossil fuels, the just transition of the EU aims at launching new green economic activities in order to make these regions find a place in a carbon-neutral economy. Because this transition is about the future of those communities, GCE believes young people must be engaged from the beginning in the decisions on how that money is going to be spent.
Building on the monitoring activities on the just transition of the NGO Bankwatch, GCE collected information on what political engagement activities were carried out to engage young people in decision-making in 15 EU Member States (12 in the first edition). The situation we found in the Member States is quite mixed, with very positive cases alongside extremely negative ones. There is a lot of room for improvement, and our report brings forward some clear recommendations to the EU and its Member States to make sure youth is not left behind in this “just” transition.
