Mapping justice in the green transition

April 2025

How fair is the green transition, and how can it be made more fair in spatial, social and sectoral terms?

In February, the European Commission published a Joint Roadmap for Competitiveness and Decarbonisation (Si apre in una nuova finestra). Among other things, the roadmap states that every person, community and business should benefit from the clean transition. Furthermore, the European Commission is committed towards an EU Intergenerational Fairness Strategy (Si apre in una nuova finestra) to strengthen and ensure fairness across the present and future generations by creating a future that is just, fair and desired by all. This calls for a green transition that is rooted in fairness and alignment for both people and territories.

The green transition is often framed as a win-win: a cleaner planet, healthier communities and new economic opportunities. But beneath the surface of this hopeful narrative lies a geographical reality - one that risks leaving some places and societal groups behind. Not all regions have the same starting points, resources or resilience to make the transition to climate neutrality. As the EU accelerates its environmental ambitions, it is also beginning to grapple more seriously with the uneven impact these ambitions may have.

Recent efforts to address this challenge include the European Commission's plan to establish a European Fair Transition Observatory. This was outlined in the Joint Roadmap for Competitiveness and Decarbonisation published by the European Commission in February 2025. Among other things, the roadmap states that every person, community and company should benefit from the clean transition. In this context, it is mentioned that the Commission will establish a European Fair Transition Observatory, sometimes also referred to as European Clean Transition Observatory. This new initiative will track and understand how the green transition affects regions and sectors differently, helping policymakers to anticipate imbalances and target support where it is most needed.

Uneven geography: Territorial imbalances of the green transition

Europe's transition to a low-carbon economy is not only a technological and financial endeavour - it is also a spatial and social one. Some regions and social groups are already well positioned to reap the benefits, while others face disproportionate costs.