Italy: Enel’s Just Transition Framework and Futur-e project

Enel, Italy's largest power utility, has implemented a just transition framework and the Futur-e program to repurpose 23 power plants and one mine by 2030. The strategy focuses on avoiding layoffs through social dialogue with trade unions, early retirement incentives, and reskilling programs. While Enel reports that all affected workers from closed sites were voluntarily relocated as of 2019, the program faces challenges regarding the economic feasibility of site redevelopment and indirect socio-economic impacts on local communities.

• Enel has committed to a comprehensive decarbonization timeline, including becoming carbon-neutral by 2050 and phasing out all coal generation plants in Italy by 2025 and globally by 2030. The company also aims to expand its renewable energy capacity from approximately 46 GW to 60 GW by 2022.
• The Futur-e program, launched in 2015, targets the conversion of 23 power stations (oil, coal, combined cycle, and gas) totaling 13 GW of capacity, as well as a mine in Santa Barbara, Tuscany. As of late 2020, 12 sites were progressing "towards a new use," six had a "solution" identified, and six were awaiting dialogue.
• To protect the workforce of over 68,000 affected workers, Enel established agreements with trade unions including the Enel Global Framework Agreement. These measures include early retirement incentives, vocational apprenticeships for workers aged 18-29, and "solidarity agreements" to prevent layoffs.
• Enel utilizes a four-phase bottom-up approach for site redevelopment: stakeholder interviews, a competitive project tender, evaluation by a panel (including the Polytechnic of Milan), and implementation negotiations. This has resulted in sites being repurposed as logistics centers, biotechnology centers, museums, and tourism projects.
• Despite successes in worker relocation, the program faces three primary gaps: the difficulty of attracting investors for site redevelopment due to bureaucratic delays or economic uncertainty, indirect negative impacts on local economies dependent on the plants, and a need for better national planning and coordination.

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). Italy: Enel’s Just Transition Framework and Futur-e project. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/italy-enels-just-transition-framework-and-futur-e-project

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Italy: Enel’s Just Transition Framework and Futur-e project. 2021. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/italy-enels-just-transition-framework-and-futur-e-project.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Italy: Enel’s Just Transition Framework and Futur-e project |date=1 April 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/snapshots/italy-enels-just-transition-framework-and-futur-e-project |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021italy, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Italy: Enel’s Just Transition Framework and Futur-e project}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.wri.org/snapshots/italy-enels-just-transition-framework-and-futur-e-project}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }