Bridging Organizations and marginalized communities for Local Sustainablity Transitions in EuRope

Project Information

BOLSTER

Grant agreement ID: 101069586

DOI

10.3030/101069586

Project closed

EC signature date 10 June 2022

Start date 1 September 2022

End date 31 August 2025

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 3 792 955,00

EU contribution

€ 3 792 955,00

Coordinated by

TILBURG UNIVERSITY- UNIVERSITEIT VAN TILBURG
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BOLSTER (Bridging Organizations and marginalized communities for Local Sustainablity Transitions in EuRope)

Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

BOLSTER, standing for Bridging Organizations and marginalized communities for Local Sustainability Transitions in EuRope, aligns with the European Green Deal's (EGD) vision for a fair and prosperous society, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. The EGD emphasizes the importance of ensuring that no citizen is left behind in this transition, introducing the Just Transition Mechanism to support regions most impacted by the shift. However, there are significant knowledge gaps and societal barriers hindering the social acceptance of transition strategies.
Firstly, the impact of transition policies on marginalized communities remains poorly understood, risking furthering existing inequalities. Secondly, citizens desire more influence in transition processes, yet meaningful avenues for participation are lacking. Thirdly, understanding the causes and consequences of polarization surrounding transition strategies is essential, as low social acceptance can impede policy implementation.
To address these challenges, BOLSTER aims to understand the effects of EGD-related policies on marginalized communities and assess the impact of involving them in decision-making processes on transition plan support. Through innovative (action)-research methods, BOLSTER will provide new scientific evidence on how transition policies intersect with various dimensions of inequality, such as age, gender, class, and race. By employing qualitative research methods like the go-along method and mind mapping, BOLSTER will gain nuanced insights into the lived experiences of marginalized Europeans, enhancing policymakers' understanding of their needs.
BOLSTER will advance the fields of sustainable transitions, participatory democracy, and environmental governance by shedding light on the trade-offs and synergies of climate action. Through innovation actions in ten European regions, including seven severely affected by the EGD and three chosen to learn from past transitions, BOLSTER will organize participatory actions and multi-actor forums. These regions will serve as living labs, allowing for the study of transition processes firsthand.
The BOLSTER consortium, comprising experts from various social science and humanities disciplines, will leverage societal and academic insights on climate justice and gender equality to develop novel policy approaches and practical tools for practitioners. By fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders, BOLSTER aims to facilitate a just transition that supports the goals of the EGD and NextGenerationEU.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

BOLSTER pursues five objectives (Os). Achievements towards each objective during the first eighteen months of the project are presented below:

O1: Develop empirically supported premises that disclose how marginalized communities are affected by EGD-related policies - (Partially achieved)
During this period, we collected empirical evidence showing how marginalized communities are affected by EGD-related policies through fieldwork in the target communities. This evidence focused on both recent and historical impacts, addressing structural inequalities and community perceptions. We conducted in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and used photovoice methods to engage marginalized groups. Our research revealed that marginalized groups may be overlooked in formal discussions of Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs), potentially hindering their inclusion in the transition process.

O2: Scrutinize and enhance the procedural justice aspect of just transition plans (Partially achieved)
We reviewed and analyzed TJTPs in target regions and mapped decision-making processes. Just Transition Alliance groups were established to involve stakeholders more closely with target communities. Capacity-building programs equipped community leaders with skills to facilitate multi-actor forums (MAFs). Our analysis revealed weak procedural justice assurance systems, prompting ongoing efforts to enhance procedural justice through community engagement and capacity-building initiatives.

O3: Increase the social acceptance of transition plans (Not yet achieved)
Efforts to mobilize community members towards setting up MAFs have begun, including capacity-building programs and community dialogues. The establishment of MAFs in target regions has shown progress, with involvement from community leaders. However, full achievement of this objective is still underway, with further activities planned to increase social acceptance and community involvement in the transition process.

O4: Conceptualize the principle of leaving no one behind (Partially achieved)
We studied existing discourse on just transition and 'leaving no one behind' concepts, proposing an analytical framework combining the capability approach and intersectionality. Analysis of TJTPs revealed a focus on economic policies, with less attention to social policies benefiting marginalized groups. Lessons from our research activities will contribute to academic and policy discourse, informing the co-design of guidelines for just transition plans.

O5: Foster the replication and transferability of the project's findings, products, and experience (Not yet achieved)
While awaiting exploitable deliverables, we have developed strategies for dissemination, communication, exploitation, and transferability. Regional policy dialogues have been conducted in Croatia and Poland, sharing findings on earlier transitions and EGD policies. Preliminary and finalized findings have been shared with the academic community through various international events.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

BOLSTER aims to achieve various outcomes and impacts across scientific, societal, policy, and economic domains. Here's a summary of the achieved outcomes by mid-term of the project:

1. **Regional/Local JT Governance Model Deployment**: Ongoing piloting of participatory governance model and JT monitoring framework in target regions.
- Expected by end of the project: - Full testing and lessons drawn from model and JT monitoring framework in 7 target regions.

2. **Marginalized Group Involvement in Policy Processes**: Completed training for representatives of target regions, facilitating involvement in MAFs and community projects.
- Expected by end of the project: - Enhanced participation in decision-making processes and project activities.

3. **EU Policy Makers Informed**: Planning two EU policy dialogues for 2024 and 2025.
- Expected by end of the project: - Increased awareness among EU policymakers through policy dialogues and presentations.

4. **Governance Model Improvement in Regions**: - Activity not started yet.
- Expected by end of the project: - Knowledge dissemination to decision makers of 40+ regions through dedicated workshops.

5. **Access to Research Materials**: Submission of 2 papers to peer-reviewed journals and a forthcoming book.
- Expected by end of the project: - Availability of 15 academic papers in open access.

Overview of the BOLSTER project set up and its contributions to research and societal ambitions