What are the health consequences of the twin transition?

Article prepared by Stefano Basilico, Alberto Marzucchi, Alessandro Palma, Grand Sasso 

Europe’s twin transition - the combined shift toward greener and more digital economies - is usually discussed in terms of competitiveness, innovation, climate neutrality and jobs. The ST4TE report “The Health Consequences of the Twin Transition” adds a crucial dimension: this transformation also has measurable consequences for people’s physical and mental health. 

The report shows that the health effects of the transition are not uniform. 

Digitalisation is consistently associated with poorer mental health and, especially among older cohorts, with worse physical health. This suggests that the digital transition may bring hidden social costs linked to stress, insecurity, work intensification, cognitive pressure and adjustment to changing tasks. These effects are particularly relevant for older workers and people with lower educational attainment.

The green transition presents a more mixed picture. Regions with stronger green job intensity tend to show better mental health outcomes, possibly because green work is associated with social purpose, environmental value and more meaningful employment. At the same time, green jobs are also linked to poorer physical health. This points to an important policy warning: not all green jobs are automatically “good jobs”. Some are physically demanding, manual or concentrated in sectors such as agriculture, construction, waste management and environmental remediation.

The most encouraging finding concerns twin-intensive environments, where green and digital skills are combined. These regions appear to mitigate some of the negative effects found in the separate green and digital transitions, particularly for mental health. However, the report also shows that benefits and risks are unevenly distributed. Education, gender, age and regional labour-market structure shape who gains and who bears the burden.

The policy implication is clear: a just transition cannot be judged only by job numbers, innovation indicators or emissions reductions. It must also be assessed through the quality of work and the health of workers. Policies supporting the twin transition should therefore integrate occupational health, mental wellbeing, reskilling, lifelong learning and targeted protection for vulnerable groups.

For ST4TE, the message is that Europe’s transition agenda must become more people-centred. Digital and green policies should be designed together with labour, health and social policies. This means investing not only in new technologies and green industries, but also in safer workplaces, accessible training, stronger support for older and lower-skilled workers, and gender-sensitive measures.

The twin transition remains a major opportunity for Europe. But its success will depend on whether it reduces inequalities or deepens them. In this respect, the report shows that health is one of the key channels through which this question will be answered. In a few words, a truly just and equitable transition must be green, digital, and healthy.