Just coal transition in the Silesia Region. Implications for the labour market

The role of hard coal in the economy of the Silesian voivodship will continue to decrease. Decarbonisation will entail far-reaching economic and social changes. IBS research (Witajewski-Baltvilks et al. 2018) shows that according to the scenario of an ambitious climate policy, the number of miners will drop by about 50,000 in the years 2015-2040. Most of them will leave the sector by natural attrition, i.e. by retirement. Those miners whose mines will be closed before they reach retirement age have a good chance of finding a job in industrial processing, transport, or construction. Each of these sectors is similar in its structure of education and age of employees to mining. According to a survey conducted among coal-miners, they see employment opportunities in these sectors. In the light of the survey results, wage subsidies and guarantees of priority in employment may be the most attractive instruments for changes in the area of employment.