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A just transition

that leaves no one behind

A principle, a responsability

The Just Transition guides the shift towards a sustainable economy, placing people and territories at its centre.

It is not just an ecological transition, but a fair change that holds together environment, work and social cohesion.

It is a pillar of European policies and the Sustainable Development Goals to 2030.

Why start from the South?

The South has the right cards to play, but it needs the right people to play them.
Here, the just transition is not just a challenge, but a social necessity. The conditions exist, but the right tools, connections and investments are needed to activate them.
We start from Brindisi to transform a structural fragility into a laboratory of the possible.

Emigration and depopulation

  • Southern Italy lost over 500,000 residents between 2001 and 2021, mainly young people and the working-age population.
  • In 2022, approximately 48% of employed graduates from Southern Italy were working outside the region where they obtained their degree, in other Italian regions or abroad.

(Sources: ISTAT; AlmaLaurea 2023)

Environmental fragility

  • In Southern Italy, water losses in distribution networks exceed 50% of the water supplied.
  • The Mediterranean is recognised as one of the main global climate hotspots.
  • The area is experiencing an increasing frequency of heatwaves and extreme weather events.

(Sources: ISTAT – Water Census; ENEA; ISPI; IPCC)

Skills and employment

  • Italy ranks among the lowest in Europe for digital skills, with only approximately 46% of the population having basic digital competences.
  • Over 75% of companies report difficulty in finding candidates with adequate technical and green skills.
  • The skills shortage is one of the main obstacles to achieving sustainability and ESG goals.

(Sources: DESI; ISTAT; ManpowerGroup 2023–2024)

Change is (already) possible

Brindisi is undergoing a profound transformation: from the decommissioning of fossil fuel plants to new investments in clean energy and industrial reconversion.

In recent years, the city has demonstrated its ability to attract new energies through creativity, social innovation and place marketing — from the pioneering Sea Working campaign to Airbnb’s recognition as one of the world’s top 20 destinations for remote working.

Just B was created to continue this journey towards a model of ambitious and just transition, from the South to the Mediterranean — so that people can choose to live and work here, return and stay.