EU-LAC High Level Dialogue on Energy Transition (COP30)

As part of the EU-LAC High Level Dialogue on the Energy Transition at COP30, the Just Transition Panel will involve a targeted discussion on fair and inclusive energy transitions with and between think tank and civil society actors, private sector stakeholders and government representatives from both the EU and LAC regions. This Panel will foster an exchange of experiences and lessons learned related to the social and economic opportunities and challenges of the energy transition. 

Following the UAE Consensus at COP28, the world demonstrated a collective commitment to ensuring the energy transition away from fossil fuels occurs in a “just, orderly and equitable manner”, leaving no one behind. This Panel will provide an opportunity for dialogue, while building new linkages and avenues of cooperation between EU and LAC actors. 

Summary of insights 

• Centering energy-transition minerals in global standards. The EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act sets important norms—especially for Latin America, which supplies 25 of the EU’s 34 critical raw materials.
  For the first time, the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) at this COP includes references to minerals, providing an opening to embed transparency, community participation, and gender inclusion in mining governance.

• Scaling renewables with strong social safeguards. While the EU is a major investor in renewable energy across Latin America, investment must be paired with early and meaningful community engagement, Indigenous consultations, and gender-responsive benefits. Countries like Denmark, Germany, and Spain offer valuable examples of how shared ownership and community involvement strengthen trust.
• Building inclusive green industrialization. EU–LAC cooperation can support long-term financing, guarantees, and market access—helping Latin American economies move up the value chain and build resilient, job-creating green industries.
• Advancing a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels. Hydrocarbon-dependent regions in Latin America will need diversification, reskilling, and long-term planning. The EU—particularly Spain, with its pioneering Just Transition Ministry—has important lessons to share. European companies must also adhere to high standards on responsible exit and decommissioning as they scale down fossil-fuel operations.
• Strengthening regional cooperation within Latin America. By supporting intra-regional coordination, the EU can help Latin America negotiate with a unified voice, set shared standards, and avoid a regulatory “race to the bottom.” This aligns with NRGI’s people-powered transitions framework, which emphasizes transparency, strong institutions, and community-centered policies.