Just Europe

The green transition will not be fair by default. So what can we do to make sure no one is left behind? In this episode, we look beyond income to the different ways people experience and cope with change — from their ability to invest in new technologies and access training, or have a say in decisions that shape the transition.Political expert Laurent Standaert, Director of the Green European Foundation, and Salvador Barrios, Head of the Fiscal Policy and Analysis Unit at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, debate who stands to benefit, who risks being left behind, and how the right policies can make the green transition fairer by design.

In this episode we talk 'housing' - how can we make it affordable and climate resilient for everyone? Since 2013, house prices in the EU have risen by more than 60%. Rent costs have jumped, especially in cities, and affordable housing supply just isn't keeping up with demand. At the same time, extreme weather conditions are imposing as much stress as sky-rocketing energy bills and unequal living environments. Political scientist and Secretary general of SOLIDAR Mikael Leyi, Anna Iafisco, Policy Advisor at Eurocities, and Federica Rotondo, post-doc researcher at Sciences-Po involved in the Horizon project ReHousIn Europe - discuss how Europe can make housing more affordable, accessible and climate resilient, and why there is no time to waste…

In this episode, we put the climate conversation into the spotlight, exploring how disinformation can drown out more nuanced, evidence-based perspectives. When that happens, it's easy to think those who care are in the minority — and climate progress stalls. What is climate disinformation? Who is most vulnerable to believing it? Who is spreading it? And what is Europe doing to tackle it? Three experts in social science, disinformation research, and digital governance discuss this complex landscape: Max Falkenberg, Computational Social Scientist, AI+ Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London and Principal Investigator of the Horizon Europe project POLARCLIMATE; Jennie King, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and co-founder of Climate Action Against Disinformation; and Paul Nemitz, former adviser at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice, visiting Professor at the College of Europe.

Can we use AI to bridge gaps — or will it become another social divide? Can we harness AI to build a more inclusive education system —or will it become another tool that leaves the most vulnerable behind? Education is fundamental to addressing inequalities and promoting equal opportunities and social mobility. From vocational training to adult education, teachers and trainers are at the forefront of preparing children, young adults and workers for Europe’s transition to a greener, digital economy. They have the pressure to prepare learners for jobs that don’t yet exist. Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises to help: less paperwork, personalised learning, even virtual labs for hands-on skills. But, fewer than 40% of educators feel ready to use AI. We put these questions to three experts specialised in digital learning environments and technologies: Tobias Ley, Head of the Center for Digitalisation in Lifelong Learning at the University for Continuing Education, Krems, Project coordinator of Horizon Europe Project TAICo; Diletta Huyskes, Researcher, University of Milan, Co-founder of Immanence; Niels Kerssens, Researcher, University of Utrecht, leader of the RECLaiM-EDU project.

Lush green spaces, cool tree-lined streets, shaded parks for children, benches for resting, and public places to shelter during extreme heat - cities across Europe are rethinking public space. Urban mobility is no longer just about getting from point A to point B, but about creating spaces that foster connection, inclusion, and community. When cities are designed with the most vulnerable in mind, they become better for everyone.In this episode, we ask: what happens when fairness becomes the foundation for building greener, more socially just cities? We explore ideas with Karen Vancluysen, Secretary-General of the POLIS Network, Sarah Stein Lubrano, writer, researcher and Head of Research at the Future Narratives Lab, and Francesco Pilla, Professor of Smart and Sustainable Cities at University College Dublin, coordinator of the Horizon-funded REALLOCATE project.

This 12th episode focuses on occupational health and safety: The EU has strong and flexible rules in place to help protect workers, and engages with trade unions, employers, researchers - and more - to ensure legislation is known and respected. Our guests include Maria Albin, Professor, Consortium member and Scientific Contributor in the EPHOR Horizon project, Task leader and partner for the Horizon project INTERCAMBIO, Klaus Heeger, Secretary General at European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions CESI, William Cockburn Salazar, Executive Director of EU-OSHA, and Robert Marinkovic, Adviser at the International Organization of Employers IOE. We'll hear their thoughts and experiences on how to best collaborate to keep people safe across their entire working lives.

This episode explores the ethical dimensions of the green transition, unpacking what it truly means to make it fair and inclusive in practice. Building on the latest report from the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE), the discussion highlights key principles and real-world challenges in delivering a just transition. The guests for this episode include Barbara Prainsack, Chair of the EGE, Kirsten Dunlop, CEO of the Climate KIC, Anna Sekula, Project Officer at the European Agency for Fundamental Rights, and Daniel Botha, Expert involved in the Horizon ACCTING (AdvanCing behavioural Change Through an Inclusive Green deal) Horizon project.

This is Just Europe – a podcast series that takes a closer look at the challenges we face on the path to a fair and inclusive Europe that strives to leave no one behind as we decarbonise, modernise and digitalise our economies. This episode in the series is ‘One step beyond - GDP and into wellbeing ’ – an in-depth discussion about how moving the measure of success beyond economic growth to include wellbeing, could greatly improve the lives of European citizens. Our guests include Professor Mario Biggeri from Department of Economics and Management at the University of Florence, Philippe Lamberts, advisor to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Sandrine Dixson-Declève, former President of the Club of Rome, author, and Executive Chair of Earth4All.

This is Just Europe – a podcast series that takes a closer look at the challenges we face on the path to a fair and inclusive Europe that strives to leave no one behind as we decarbonise, modernise and digitalise our economies. This episode in the series is ‘Keep learning! – everyone onboard for a just transition’ an in-depth discussion about how adult lifelong learning is vital to provide Europe with the skills required for a just transition. Making education available for everyone, no matter what stage of life they are in, also ensures that no one is left behind during the transition. Our guests on this episode include Elisa Gambardella, Education & Lifelong Learning Coordinator at SOLIDAR Foundation, Frank Siebern-Thomas,Head of Unit of the “Fair, Green and Digital Transitions, Research” unit in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, and Nora Fahy, Manager of the Roscommon Women's Network.

This is Just Europe – a podcast series that takes a closer look at the challenges we face on the path to a fair and inclusive Europe that strives to leave no one behind as we decarbonise, modernise and digitalise our economies. This episode in the series is “Making the link – jobs in Europe and global supply chains ”– a deep dive into global supply chains, employment, and what this means for the just transition. Our guests include Holger Görg, renowned economist in supply chains at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, and leader of the EU Rethink GSC project, Giles Dickson, the CEO of WindEurope, and Román Arjona, Chief Economist in DG Grow of the European Commission.