On 11 and 12 July 2024, the 5th Annual Policy Dialogue – EU Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition took place in Velenje, Slovenia. The event was organised on behalf of the European Commission, the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development of Slovenia and the Municipality of Velenje in Slovenia.
More than 170 stakeholders from all EU Coal+ regions gathered in person in Velenje to take stock of the progress made since the launch of the initiative in 2018 and to discuss the common old and new challenges they face in today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape.
The event featured leading figures in the energy transition, such as Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, and Aleksander Jevšek, Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development of Slovenia. The conference also provided a forum to discuss industrial transformation in coal+ regions, energy poverty and citizen participation, district heating and competences for net zero industries, among others. Participants had the opportunity to visit places currently affected by the transition process, such as the Šoštanj thermal power plant and the district heating system, the underground museum of coal mining, the Stara vas industrial park and the old power plant, as well as the revitalisation of degraded areas – Lake Velenje and VISTA – Park with a view.
Members of the BOLSTER team Sabina Hodžić from the University of Rijeka, FTHM (Croatia), Amy Walker from the University of Halle (Germany) and Miloslawa Stepien from the CEE Bankwatch Network (Czech Republic) participated in the event. They had the opportunity to actively discuss the current challenges and opportunities of the just transition process and present the research results of the BOLSTER project.
