Romania will receive EUR 2.14 billion from the Just Transition Fund (JTF) to support a just climate transition to a greener economy, the European Commission (EC) announced. The fund will target the most affected regions, thus helping Romania to follow up on its commitment to phase out coal by 2032.

The funds will be allocated to six counties, namely Dolj, Galaţi, Gorj, Hunedoara, Mureş, and Prahova. Two of them, namely Gorj and Hunedoara, still host active coal mining, notably in the Jiu Valley, while Dolj, Galați, Prahova, and Mureş have carbon-intensive industries and coal power is used for heating.

The fund “will support workers being affected by the ongoing energy transition to find new qualifications and new jobs, leaving no one behind. It will also support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and, in specific cases, large companies to create jobs and diversify the economy in the fossil fuel production and carbon-intensive regions,” the EC said.

Precisely, the JTF will support the rehabilitation of brown fields in the mining sector and the rehabilitation of abandoned industrial sites by creating new green spaces, such as parks, commercial and residential areas for social housing.

Also, it will support economic diversification by financing the establishment of SMEs in sectors that promote, for example, circular economy, traditional activities like crafts, or the production of environmentally friendly construction materials. The fund will also invest in renewable and clean energy technologies like hydrogen.

“The fund will support workers in the coal and carbon-intensive industries with extensive training programmes for up- and reskilling to the new green sectors and to be prepared for the economic diversification planned for the regions,” the Commission also said. 

It is estimated that almost 30,000 workers will be trained, and about 11,000 new jobs will be created through these programmes.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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