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Assessment for Poland (TEST ASSESSMENT FOR E. WIELKOPOLSKA)

Status: Draft Plan
Date of plan: 17.02.2021
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Overall Plan Rating

There are also some indicators rated as not consistent with the just transition. These are marked as red on the traffic light system and should be the foremost priorities to address and improve on. The indicators are organised under their corresponding principles in the Annex to this report.

Principle 1

The TJTP should be sustainable and deliver on long-term, international and EU climate commitments such as the Paris Agreement and EU 2030 and 2050 climate objectives.
Indicates a commitment to at least a 65% reduction in GHG emissions at regional or national level by 2030
Comments: Commitment to climate neutrality by 2040 in the region is an assumption of the plan and 70% by 2030.
Identifies the opportunities to increase renewable energy in the region and specific actions, projects or targets are proposed
Identifies the opportunities to increase energy efficiency or reduce energy use in the region and specific actions, projects or targets are proposed

Principle 2

The TJTP should not lead to prolonged fossil fuel use or promote false solutions to the transition to climate neutrality. As a guide, coal should be phased out by 2030.
A complete phase-out of coal is planned or implied in the territory by 2030
Comments: Stated to be in power and heat.
A phase out of fossil gas infrastructure phase-out is planned or implied, but the date is after 2035 or is undefined
Comments: Green H2 regarded as apriority development and it is argued that 'energy produced from Hydrogen is inexhaustible'. H2 is seen as key to solving 'energy storage and network balancing' issues.
In addition, emphasis is placed on developing ;biogas plants', but it is unclear if these will be sustainable.
Fossil gas infrastructure "construction of a gas network in Krzynow Commune", and "constriction of gas distribution network i Wilczyn Commune" are listed as potential projects (reported in working groups).
Not enough information available or fossil fuel subsidies not discussed

Principle 3

The TJTP should lead to sustainable economic diversification at the local, regional and national level.
Promotes economic diversification, and explicitly recognises (e.g. in the assessment of the transition challenges) that all sectors of the economy must become sustainable
Recognises the value of SMEs and start-ups, setting out a clear plan for their support and incentivisation e.g. through dedicated incubators
Comments: Supporting creation of a diversified innovative economy with developed entrepreneurship is a priority (1.2) in the context of a 'zero-carbon dynamic closed economy'.

More detail could be provided on how the bioeconomic will be sustainable, but there are indications throughout such as that the bioeconomy should , " contribute to the implementation of the Strategy "from farm to table" for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. "
Indicates a link to and a need for consistency with the NECP's objectives. Provides a clear prioritisation of funding and investment needs into different sectors, labour market adjustments and for relevant reskilling and upskilling in line with - or going further than - the most up to date NECP for sustainable economic diversification and to create decent, sustainable and resilient jobs

Principle 4

The TJTP should address social inequalities, improve interregional solidarity, decrease inequalities and tackle injustices.
Justifies why certain regions should receive support with reference to the underlying economic and employment impacts of the transition, and justifies the choice objective criteria or comparative data
Prioritises employment support and job search assistance for workers directly losing their jobs as a result of the transition AND other worker groups, including those who may be indirectly affected
Identifies some of the existing and future skills, training and education gaps at regional level on the basis of objective and quality skills forecasts, or sets out a process to identify them - but  focuses on a limited range of sectors or only on workers directly affected by the transition or who have already lost their jobs
Foresees targeted investments sufficient to remedy these gaps and create decent, sustainable and resilient jobs for all current (and future) workers in the region
Recognises the risk that new jobs created don't offer the same quality or wages as jobs in declining industries and the need to include measures to tackle this, but doesn’t consider all factors of decent work, such as access to collective bargaining, or safe, healthy working conditions and reasonable working hours
Recognises some inequalities and identifies some measures to address those arising from the transition, such as a minimum income support, energy poverty reduction or early pensions. But the TJTP does not consider existing inequalities or address all inequalities identified with planned measures
Identifies the potential changes to quality of life arising from the transition and includes measures to address both residual negative factors, such as air and water quality issues and identifies proactive measures to improve quality of life, such as creation of recreation spaces and addressing corruption
includes provisions to actively support gender equality, including equality of opportunity for women and the inclusion of women in the labour market
Comments: Particularly for social inclusion of women from families affected by transformation, as well as childcare support.

Principle 5

The TJTP should not harm EU environmental and climate objectives and values.
Does not include activities which would negatively impact environmental and biodiversity indicators relating to:
- Biodiversity
- Air pollution
- Accessible greenspace (land take)
- Water quality

AND neither does it include significantly harmful activities as defined by the EU Taxonomy or which would lead to unsustainable use of natural resources or which would lead to ecosystem harm
Foresees investments in infrastructure which could indirectly lead to greater greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel-based activities, such as motorways (if alternatives such as railway investment have not been explored) and internal combustion engine manufacturing facilities
Comments: New roads planned to accommodate and increase in traffic volume. Not clear that this has been evaluated against e.g. expanding rial infrastructure or reducing individual passenger car traffic volume.
"The construction of new or adaptation/revitalisation of existing railway lines alone will not make rail transport an attractive alternative to individual car transport. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate rail transport with other means of transport, to ensure appropriate train frequency and comfort of travel as well as accessibility of railway stations and stops."
Identifies actions or activities to improve a wide range of environment and biodiversity indicators in the regions concerned. It includes, as a minimum, actions or activities relating to at least 3 of the following categories:
- Biodiversity
- Air pollution
- Accessible greenspace (land take)
- Water quality
Foresees no new investment in waste incineration or landfill capacity.
AND
Includes or prioritises new activities which would favour a circular, rather than a linear economy and which will not increase greenhouse gas emissions.

Principle 6

The TJTP should respect the polluter pays principle.
The TJTP does not identify the entities responsible for existing environmental damage.

AND/OR the TJTP recommends to use JTF resources to pay for land restoration without an analysis - or commitment to an analysis - of the possibility and applicability of the Polluter Pays Principle
Comments: Ze Pak is a potential applicant for support to develop degraded areas, but polluter pays weightings are not mentioned in the assessment of eligibility.

Principle 7

The TJTP should be supported by adequate, coordinated and long-term public and private funding sources.
EU funds and national public funds are identified to support the just transition: other sources of public funding than the Just Transition Fund and the Pillar III of the Just Transition Mechanism are identified, including national sources. Funding sources are targeted to the most appropriate activities or to address funding gaps
Private funding sources are identified alongside public funding sources, with an indication of how private funds may be leveraged, mainly or exclusively relying on Pillar II of the Just Transition Mechanism

Principle 8

The TJTP should be designed, monitored and evaluated through meaningful partnerships which engage all stakeholders in an open, inclusive and ongoing process, especially at local level. Social dialogue and collective bargaining should be central pillars of the transition when it comes to the labour market and enterprises.
A coordination body is established but membership of the coordination body requirements and composition may be unclear.

AND / OR

Details on procedures are vague without transparency on timing and schedules for such meetings, or on how, when or where information on process and relevant documents will be published in an accessible place. Alternatively the majority of information must be directly requested from the institution responsible rather than openly available.
Clearly and comprehensively identifies stakeholders to be involved in the process, consistent with the groups identified in Article 3 of the European Code of Conduct on Partnership and a clear and justified description of their roles and status in the process
Concrete detail on stakeholder engagement plans (e.g. meeting and consultation schedules and arrangements), as well as provisions to address stakeholder capacity-building needs

AND the TJTP includes sufficient details on how stakeholders have or will be involved in the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the TJTP and how their views and inputs were integrated into the final plan
Public consultation and engagement of all stakeholders while all options are open is provided for, but the period of consultation and engagement is launched with less than 4 weeks prior notice

AND/OR

The period for consultation and engagement lasts for less than 12 weeks

AND/OR

There is less than 4 weeks to comment on the final draft

AND/OR

Not all relevant stakeholders have been given the opportunity to participate in a public consultation.
Tripartite social dialogue is part of the planning process. At least some labour unions and social partners have been engaged in social dialogue during the development of the TJTP. Social dialogue is conducted to address the impacts of the transition on sectors which are phasing out and transforming, but not necessarily for emerging sectors.

Principle 9

The TJTP should take a place-based, local approach to strategy design and implementation.
Identifies NUTS 3 regions which will require targeted action and prioritises measures for the specific NUTS 3 regions concerned
Notes the need for community engagement and acknowledges existing or planned community initiatives, but does not indicate how these will be integrated into the TJTP or how the community will be engaged and informed

Principle 10

The TJTP should be developed based on high quality, independent and objective analysis of the challenges and opportunities of the transition for regions.
The indicators and/or data included in the TJTP are focused at the regional level and are high quality, appropriate to the goals of the fund to address the socioeconomic challenges arising from the transition to climate neutrality and they are comprehensive, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative measures
The TJTP foresees a revision process by the Member State regularly, following the update of its NECP or following the mid-term review of programmes. The revision process includes an evaluation of implementation so far and is to be carried out in consultation with stakeholders and partners as identified in the European Code of Conduct on Partnership

Comments

The draft plan notes that in the course of further work, the principles of selecting strategic projects which are important from the viewpoint of transformation of Eastern Wielkopolska will be developed. The guiding objectives in section 4.1 are a good starting point, as well as the intervention areas, for such criteria. The criteria should include a link to the EU Taxonomy and be developed in consultation with all partners including local government representatives social partners and civil society, before being made public.
Attachment: 2021.02.15 -DRAFT PLAN Wielkopolska-1.pdf