News

The Transformation of MVM Mátra Energy Ltd. and the Just Transition – Summary of the International Conference
On November 26, 2024, the international conference titled “The Transformation of MVM Mátra Energy Ltd. and the Just Transition” was held in Budapest. The event aimed to facilitate dialogue among representatives of trade unions, the government, and employers on implementing a just transition, sharing their visions, experiences, and expectations regarding the phasing out of coal-based energy production and the transformation of the energy economy. The conference participants included domestic and international experts, trade union representatives, as well as leaders and researchers involved in sustainable energy management.

Participation in the SET Plan conference
Hungary hosted the SET Plan Conference as part of the European Council Presidency. The meeting to discuss the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) of the European Union was hosted by the Várkert Bazaar on 14-15 November 2024.

Members of the Coal Commission Secretariat represented our University at the 10th Conference of the Just Transition Platform Conference held in Brussels
The 10th Just Transition Platform Conference took place in Brussels on 15-17 October, with the participation of two members of the Coal Commission Secretariat of Eszterházy Károly Catholic University – Zsuzsa Piskóti-Kovács PhD and Balázs Hegyi. In addition to our colleagues, some of the consortium partners of the LIFE-IP North-HU Trans project also attended the event, namely: the mayor and vice-mayor of Bükkábrány municipality.

The Head of the Coal Commission Secretariat represented Eszterházy Károly Catholic University at an international forum in the topic of Just Transition
The head of the Coal Commission Secretariat represented our university at the International Forum “Opportunities for a Just Transition Beyond Borders” in Bulgaria. The event took place in the framework of a project aimed at giving greater visibility to the European Union’s cohesion policy, the Just Transition Fund and the European Economic Recovery Plan.

The 10th event of the Coal Commission held in Eger
On the 18th of September, the 10th meeting of the Coal Commission was held in Eger. The Coal Commission was established on the 11th of March in 2021 as the first permanent consultative forum on coal transition in Hungary. Its mission is to support the decarbonisation of the lignite-based electricity production, the MVM Mátra Energia Zrt. and also the sustainable and equitable transition of the North Hungary region, involving all relevant organisations.

Members of the Coal Commission Secretariat represented our University in Velenje
From 11-12 July, the Annual Political Dialogue of the Initiative for coal regions in transition took place in Velenje. Two members of the Coal Commission Secretariat, Balázs Hegyi and Patrik Póka, represented the Eszterházy Károly Catholic University at the conference.

The second workshop of the MINED ERASMUS+ project was held in Thessaloniki
The MINED ERASMUS+ project is one of the first spin-off projects of the LIFE project, whose main objective is to develop a non-formal educational toolkit to help primary school students to increase their knowledge in the field of sustainability.

The Coal Commission Secretariat was also represented at the 9th Conference of the Just Transition Platform
For the ninth time, the European Commission’s Just Transitions Platform Conference took place in Brussels with more than 1,000 registered participants, including around 300 in person who attended the event to share their views and experiences on the Just Transition process, including the results of projects that were financed by Just Transition Fund.

Participation in the fourth meeting of the District heating Working Group – Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition
A member of the Coal Commission Secretariat represented Eszterházy Károly Catholic University at the fourth and final meeting of the District heating Working Group called the Coal Regions in Transition

The Coal Commission held its 9th meeting in Eger
The Coal Commission was established on the 11th of March 2021 as the first permanent consultative forum on coal transition in Hungary. The primary objective of the Commission is to involve all key stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the green transition of the Northern Hungary coal region (Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Heves counties).

Study trip to the Karlovy Vary coal region
The Coal Commission Secretariat organised a study trip to the Karlovy Vary coal region. The coal region is located in the western part of the Czech Republic and it is the smallest region in the country, but it contains a significant part of the country’s lignite reserves. Like the counties of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Heves, the region is eligible to draw on the resources of the Just Transition Fund. Lignite mining is ongoing in the region, with extraction linked to the privately owned Sokolovská uhelná (SUAS).

The Coal Commission met for the VIIIth time in Eger
The Coal Commission was established in March 2021 as the first permanent consultative forum on coal transition in Hungary, within the framework of the LIFE IP North-HU-Trans project. main task of the Commission is to support a sustainable and equitable transition in the North-Hungary region, involving all relevant organisations.

Winning Erasmus+ projects: five international programmes start at the university this autumn
Dr. Zoltán Kálmán Váczy, Vice-Rector General of Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, presented winning the Erasmus+ applications launched in the autumn at a press conference, followed by the professional leaders of the international projects.

Participation in the 8th Just Transition Platform Conference in Brussels
The 8th edition of the Just Transition Platform conference took place in Brussels. The Just Transition Platform assists stakeholders in using the support provided by the Just Transition Mechanism, including the Just Transition Fund. The Platform actively promotes the sharing of best practices among all stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Just Transition. Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms of the European Commission, also participated in the conference, giving a keynote speech and an opportunity for questions.

A member of the Coal Region Secretariat represented the Eszterházy Károly Catholic University in Sokolov
On 18-19 October, the ‘Sokolov Inspires’ conference took place as part of the Just Transition Platform (JTP) Groundwork programme. Dr Zsuzsa Piskóti-Kovács, Head of the Coal Commission Secretariat, represented Eszterházy Károly Catholic University at the conference.

A member of our University participated as an invited speaker in the Financing a Just Transition webinar
At the fourth webinar of the series “A Just Energy Transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine”, the Head of the Coal Commission Secretariat was invited to give a presentation. The webinar explored financing options for the energy transition and shared ideas and lessons learned from a regional perspective.

Networking with a LIFE-IP CEI-Greece project
In the framework of the LIFE IP North-HU-Trans project, we consider it important to build links with other LIFE integrated projects and to share experiences. In this framework we had the opportunity to visit DIADYMA SA (Αρχική – ΔΙΑΔΥΜΑ ΑΕ (diadyma.gr)) in Kozani (Greece, West Macedonia coal region).

Study trip to the West Macedonian coal region
One of the key tasks of the Coal Commission Secretariat of the LIFE-IP North-HU-Trans project, based at the Catholic University of Eszterházy Károly, is to build links with other European coal regions. In this context, a study trip to the West Macedonia coal region in Greece was organised, which was attended by the municipal partners of the LIFE project, the staff of the Ministry of Energy and the Secretariat of the Coal Region Committee.

Successful exchanges carried out by the Coal Commission Secretariat
This is the second time the Secretariat has successfully applied for the exchangeEU call, a dedicated exchange programme for the EU’s coal, lignite, peat and oil shale regions in transition. The programme provides opportunities for peer-to-peer exchanges with the aim of creating long-term relationships that can accelerate the clean energy transition in different regions of the EU.

First round membership of the Coal Commission Secretariat in the Just Transition Platform Working Group
The Just Transition Platform was established in 2020 to help EU Member States and regions to access the support available under the Just Transition Mechanism. As one of its cornerstones, four working groups to support carbon-intensive regions were set up in November 2021. A fourth working group on horizontal stakeholder strategies, of which the Coal Commission Secretariat at the University has become a first-round member.

Sixth meeting of the Coal Commission Secretariat
The Coal Commission Secretariat was established in March 2021 as Hungary’s first permanent consultative forum on coal transitions with the aim of ensuring the involvement of stakeholders involved in coal transitions and the continuity of consultations as a proposing and decision-supporting organisation.

Networking on energy communities in Brussels
Within the framework of the LIFE-IP North-HU-Trans project at Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, one of the main tasks of the Coal Commission Secretariat is to build links with other coal regions. As part of this, a member of the Coal Commission Secretariat travelled to Brussels at the end of January for the COME RES Horizon 2020 project final conference and The European Climate Pact event.

Seven municipalities of Heves County join the European Covenant of Mayors with the support of our University
Our university is a project partner in the LIFE integrated project, which will run for 9 years and aims to support the development of a green vision for the region. In line with this objective, Coal Commission Secretariat has assisted the seven municipalities of the Heves County most affected by the just transition to join the European Covenant of Mayors.

COP27 has started!
As implementers of the most important climate protection project, we are pleased to share the news that COP27, the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, has started in Egypt! The conference will bring together representatives of the world’s countries (political and technical negotiators) to discuss how to put into practice the commitments set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement to slow global warming.

International study tour in the Upper Nitra Region
A delegation from the LIFE-IP North-HU-Trans project took part in an international study visit to Upper Nitra, Slovakia, in October 2022.

The Coal Commission met for the 5th time
The Coal Commission was established in March 2021 as the first permanent consultative forum on coal transition in Hungary.

The Coal Commission Secretariat represented the Eszterházy Károly Catholic University in the panel discussion of the EU Week of Regions
The European Week of Regions and Cities is an annual 4-day event during which cities and regions showcase their ability to grow and create jobs sustainably, implement EU cohesion policy and demonstrate the importance of the local and regional level.

Visit to the Western Macedonian coal region
Our staff represented our LIFE integrated project at an academic event in Kozani, in the centre of the West Macedonia coal region. The event took place in the framework of theCINTRAN Horizon 2020 project, which investigates the characteristics and dynamics of changes in European coal regions. The main objective of the event was to provide participants with the opportunity to find replicable solutions to address the challenges of just transition through networking.

Messe exhibition visit in Hannover
After a two-year hiatus, the world’s largest industrial exhibition and the world’s most important industry business event, Hannover Messe, has resumed with a business delegation organised by HKIK at the end of May. Representatives of companies from Heves and Borsod counties joined the programme as suppliers and business partners of the Mátra power plant in the framework of the LIFE-IP North-HU-Trans project’s corporate mentoring programme.

INFORM EU Conference Country Mix
At the INFORM EU Conference Country Mix workshop organised by the European Commission in Malta, the Ministry of Technology and Industry had the opportunity to present and promote the LIFE IP North-HU-Trans – KEHOP cooperation, which started in Markazon on 7 May, and continued in Gyöngyös on 13 May and in Abasar on 14 May under the title Eco-Revolution.