exchangeEU – Exchange Programme

exchangeEU – Exchange Programme for coal, lignite, peat and oil shale regions in the context of the initiative for Coal Regions in Transition

Client: European Commission, DG ENER
Partner: Guidehouse, ICLEI, Wuppertal Institute

2021-2023

The EU-wide exchange programme exchangeEU creates a dialogue between representatives from regions across Europe where coal, oil shale and peat are mined (Coal+ regions). Under the European Green Deal, the extraction of these fossil fuels is to be phased out in the European Union. This means big changes and often difficulties for the people in these regions. The mining of coal and other fossil fuels is an important factor for their economy, their society and often also their self-image. How can a future look like in which this building block is suddenly missing?

exchangeEU does not serve up ready-made answers to the regions. Instead, the programme brings representatives from selected partner regions into an exchange with each other and enables them to work together on solutions to the challenges of the Just Transition. The aim is to establish a network that will continue to work actively on an emission-free future throughout Europe after the end of the project. In doing so, exchangeEU relies on knowledge exchange and cooperation between the regions, which learn from and with each other at eye level. Planned formats of exchange are, for example, workshops and mutual visits to the mining regions.

ifok’s tasks include:

• Conception and implementation of the programme’s communications strategy, both for mobilising participants and for helping the latter disseminate the exchange’s results
• Lead the conception and implementation of four exchanges between EU Coal+ regions
• Logistics support for all other exchanges
• Management of the programme’s web presence

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