On 15 May 2025, ECAS and the BOLSTER consortium hosted the 9th Regional Policy Dialogue, focusing on how inclusive and transdisciplinary methodologies can shape fair and effective climate transitions in energy and mobility. This online event, conducted in partnership with the TANDEM project, convened researchers and practitioners to share best practices and strategic recommendations for integrating marginalized populations into Just Transition policymaking. By discussing in particular the results of other EU-funded projects, such as the TANDEM and JUSTEM projects, the policy dialogue aims at identifying set of strategic recommendations and practical guidelines that can be directly applied by local and regional policy makers.
The speakers included:
- Dr. Samyajit Basu, Senior researcher in Urban Mobility at the Mobilise Mobility and Logistics research group, House of Sustainable Transitions, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium)
- Dr. Michael Klingler and Fiona de Fontana, Senior scientist and pre-doc researcher at the Institute of Sustainable Economic Development of BOKU University (Austria)
- Dr. Maria Luisa Lode, Senior researcher in Local Energy Systems at the Mobilise Mobility and Logistics research group, House of Sustainable Transitions, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium)
- Dr. Seona Candy, Senior researcher, focusing on ecological and transitional justice, at Demos Helsinki (Finland)
The discussants and panellists included:
- Dr. Diana Süsser, Coordinator of JUSTEM and Senior Expert at the Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy (IEECP) (The Netherlands)
- Dr. Tanja Fatur Šikić, Assistant professor, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management (Croatia)
- Dr. Marcin Baron, Associate professor, Department of Strategic and Regional Studies, University of Economics in Katowice (Poland)
- Nadya Parpulova, PhD student, University of National and World Economy (Bulgaria)
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Giulia Sandri, Research and Development Manager at ECAS, Belgium.
The dialogue highlighted the urgency of developing transition policies that do not leave anyone behind, particularly vulnerable groups disproportionately impacted by low-carbon initiatives. The BOLSTER project itself, coordinated by Tilburg University, is investigating how European Green Deal (EGD) policies intersect with social inequalities related to gender, class, age, and ethnicity. The project champions participatory governance models to foster local sustainability transitions that are both climate-conscious and socially just.
Speakers from across Europe presented tools and case studies showcasing citizen engagement as a driver of equitable climate action. The TANDEM project introduced a methodology that combines deliberative panels, art-based approaches, participatory systems mapping (PSM), and Stakeholder-Based Impact Scoring (SIS) to evaluate transition policies from multiple perspectives. Case studies from Brussels, Innsbruck, and Catalonia illustrated how local contexts shape community needs and responses to energy and mobility reforms.
A central takeaway was the critical role of local facilitators and structured, inclusive processes in enabling effective co-creation with citizens. Panelists from JUSTEM, TANDEM and BOLSTER projects shared how bottom-up initiatives, including Local Just Transition Alliances and Multi-Actor Forums, have empowered citizens to co-design regional transition plans. Insights from regions like Stara Zagora (BG) and Istria (HR) highlighted community-led approaches to addressing energy poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion.
Participants stressed that while participatory methods like visioning workshops and causal loop diagrams foster deeper understanding and ownership, they also demand time, trust-building, and skilled facilitation. The panel on long-term transition pathways underscored the value of integrating short-, mid-, and long-term horizons to accommodate both immediate needs and systemic transformation.
Key policy recommendations emerging from the dialogue include:
- Embedding participatory methods in all stages of policy development.
- Recognizing the intersectionality of climate impacts and addressing them with tailored support.
- Ensuring institutional stakeholders do not overpower grassroots voices.
- Providing clear timelines to sustain trust among community participants.
The dialogue concluded with a call for continued collaboration across sectors and levels of governance. By combining scientific rigor with local knowledge and creativity, the BOLSTER and TANDEM projects demonstrate that Just Transition policies can be both effective and fair.
