The transition to a greener Europe and the role of European cohesion policy

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Cohesion policy is the main investment policy of the European Union for strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion in the member countries. In the 2021-2027 programming period, its second objective is to create a greener, carbon-free and climate-resilient Europe. The strategy adopted for this purpose envisages directing resources and investments in support of the climate and environmental policies defined by the Green Deal European. The Green Deal sets the objective of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, in order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Complementary objectives are to strengthen the competitiveness of industry at zero emissions and the creation of a more favorable environment for the production and dissemination of technologies and products greens, guaranteeing access to clean and fair energy. Cohesion policy is therefore called upon to make a substantial contribution to the implementation of Green Dealsupporting territories and local governments in achieving a sustainable transition.

Investments for a greener Europe

The resources allocated by the structural funds support investments on a territorial basis in the fields of energy, management of natural resources, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, circular economy and sustainable mobility in the Member States.

Among the priorities of this investment plan are energy efficiency and renewable energies, which promote energy saving, the efficiency of public buildings, infrastructures smart energy systems, the modernization of distribution networks and electricity storage capacity, crucial for the expected increase in electric vehicles. The plan also envisages investments for transport infrastructure and sustainable urban mobility, as well as for the circular economy, the management of water resources and waste, the protection of biodiversity and natural resources. Finally, the cohesion policy provides for support for actions to adapt to climate change and manage the risks associated with it with investments in support of areas exposed to extreme climatic events, hydrogeological instability, desertification and sea level rise

Sustainable and just transition

New in the current programming period is the introduction of the Just Transition Fund, whose objective is to support the diversification and reconversion of the local economic systems most affected by the sustainable transition. In particular, priority will be given to those territories with an economic structure dependent on carbon-intensive industrial activities (e.g., extraction and production of fossil fuels, steel and cement) which are likely to suffer the most negative repercussions. In order to alleviate the social and economic costs of the transition, assistance will be provided to small and medium-sized enterprises in these territories, research and innovation activities will be supported, and re-entry into the labor market will be facilitated also through the updating of professional skills of workers. To date, the use of the fund is still relatively limited, both in terms of resources and geographical coverage (in Italy only Taranto and Sulcis Iglesiente benefit from it). In any case, it is only the first pillar of a broader mechanism for a just transition, which should also protect the most vulnerable individuals by combating, for example, the onset of energy poverty phenomena.