“20 Visions for Europe” gathers unique visions from public officials, intellectuals, artists, diplomats, athletes, civic actors and business representatives. The project is part of EURACTIV’s celebration of 20 years of free, independent reporting with European values at its core. The partner of the project is Stars4Media.

Luca Visentini was re-elected for a second four-year term as ETUC General Secretary at the ETUC Congress in Vienna in May 2019. He has been active in the trade union movement since 1989, including as general secretary for Italian union UIL in one of the country’s 20 regions.

The next twenty years will be decisive for the future of human society – in Europe, and on every continent.

As I am writing, the world’s largest rainforest, the Amazon – the lungs of our planet – is on fire. It was no exaggeration when President Macron told the G7 “our house is burning”.

Decisive climate action is needed from governments and business but also support from citizens to make sure that change is socially fair, and that the heaviest burden is not placed on the poorest and most vulnerable in society, including workers who are at risk of losing their jobs.

We need a just transition, based on public and private investment which should generate clean industry and new and better jobs to compensate for those that will be lost. Regions that depend on heavy industry have to transform, and affected workers have to be accompanied by labour market and skills policies that guarantee they are not left behind.

Only a strong alliance between governments, employers, unions and civil society can really deliver the just transition and the green deal Ursula von der Leyen has announced in her speech to the European Parliament.