Quantifying and monitoring multiple impacts resulting from the implementation of a fair energy transition in coal regions across the European Union

Abstract

Coal regions are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts that can arise due to the green energy transition. These impacts can be social, economic, environmental, or technical. A fair energy transition ensures that all the impacts arising from different dimensions are considered and treated evenly. Each coal region in the European Union has specific characteristics. Therefore, and index was developed utilising a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methodology to understand and to quantify the degree to which impacts related to a fair energy transition change over time and affect coal regions across the European Union. The index was adapted to perform country-level, dimensional, and regional analyses. The ex-post analyses investigated the evolvement of all impacts from a baseline period to a new timeline, illustrating areas for potential policy intervention per region. Ultimately, this can help to identify appropriate policies and measures, thereby facilitating the implementation of a truly fair energy transition across coal regions.