Decarbonization of coal-dependent regions implies structural changes, which, if not managed well, may cause serious economic impacts, societal upheaval, aggravated social inequalities and hardship. To minimize such consequences it is necessary to better understand the patterns and dynamics of structural change in response to decarbonization at the regional level, to understand which parameters determine the pace of transformation as well as the capacity of regional actors to adapt and pro-actively create alternative structures. CINTRAN aims to enable these activities through highly integrated, inter- and transdisciplinary research, combining quantitative model-based research – PRIMES and GEM-E3 – with qualitative indepth analysis. The regions in focus are: Western Macedonia (Greece), Silesia (Poland), Ida-Virumaa (Estonia) and the Rhenish mining area (Germany).
E3M shall develop a typology of carbon-intensive regions at the NUTS-2 level and assess their vulnerability in the face of low-carbon transition in terms of energy system impacts,socio-economic developments, migration and the rise of populism that raises barriers to the transition. It will also lead the regional case study for Western Macedonia.