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Just Transition Evidence in Coal Regions

Structural decarbonisation across carbon-intensive territories requires aligning macroeconomic emission reductions with localized socio-economic justice and community well-being. Empirical observations from coal basins demonstrate that inadequate institutional coordination and spatial labour disparities undermine transition equity unless paired with deliberative governance. Integrating polycentric decision-making frameworks with proactive regional reskilling and public health remediation ensures sustainable long-term regional development.

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Just Transition Evidence in Coal Regions

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First M. Last

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Dr. First Last

City, 2026

Contents

Introduction
Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Just Energy Transition
Deliberative and Polycentric Governance Models in Coal Basins
Methodological Approaches to Transition Impact Synthesis
Empirical Evidence Across Coal Regions
Socio-Economic Disparities and Spatial Labour Mismatches
Policy Frameworks and Institutional Mechanisms for Coal Phase-Out
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

Decarbonisation policies across carbon-intensive regions present complex socio-economic challenges, requiring robust frameworks that safeguard vulnerable communities during structural shifts away from fossil fuels [1]. While international net-zero mandates accelerate the retirement of coal-fired assets, local economies face acute structural vulnerabilities, community identity loss, and uneven institutional coordination [2].

Empirical assessments from global coal regions indicate that green employment generation frequently suffers from spatial disconnection and skill misalignments, leaving historical mining workforces exposed to persistent precarity [3]. Concurrently, historical environmental burdens such as chronic public health deficits compound the difficulties of achieving procedural and distributive equity in mining territories [5].

This paper evaluates existing empirical evidence on just transitions across coal basins, examining how polycentric governance, targeted workforce reskilling, and comprehensive public health interventions mitigate structural decline. By synthesizing international and South African transition trajectories, it clarifies strategic imperatives for socially equitable decarbonisation [2].

Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations of Just Energy Transition

Conceptualising energy transitions within fossil-fuel-dependent territories requires moving beyond purely technocratic perspectives to address structural socio-economic transformations. In traditional mono-industrial basins, industrial identity, employment stability, and communal coherence are deeply entwined with mineral extraction. Consequently, structural decarbonisation induces substantial social friction when managed through centralized, top-down mandates [1]. Theoretical models of deliberative and polycentric governance suggest that legitimacy in industrial restructuring relies heavily on procedural justice, where decision-making authority is shared among regional authorities, local businesses, and community stakeholders [1]. However, macroscopic economic models that forecast net positive national employment often fail to account for spatial and temporal misalignments, as emerging renewable investments rarely materialize in the specific geographic localities enduring fossil-fuel phase-outs [3]. In resource-dependent economies such as South Africa, these friction points manifest in short-term, precarious employment profiles that remain geographically separated from marginalized mining settlements, thereby diluting the poverty-reduction capacity of transition initiatives [2]. Bridging these theoretical perspectives reveals that procedural justice cannot remain an abstract democratic ideal; it must function as an institutional mechanism capable of reconciling national decarbonisation commitments with regional socio-economic stability.

References

  1. Managing the energy transition of coal regions: a deliberative-polycentric model. A case study of Silesia
    O. Janikowska
    Open Source
  2. Measurable impacts of South Africa's just energy transition partnership on poverty reduction and economic opportunities in marginalized communities
    T. Musekiwa, Noëleen Murray
    Open Source
  3. Job creation in a low carbon transition to renewables and energy efficiency: a review of international evidence
    Richard Hanna, P. Heptonstall, R. Gross
    Open Source
  4. The impact of the green energy transition at the local level. How just is the fast implementation of decarbonization policy in West Macedonia?
    D. Boulogiorgou, J. Kaldellis
  5. The Health Impacts of Coal Mining and Coal-based Energy
    Stuart Paul Denoon-Stevens, Katrina du Toit
  6. Socio-economic implications of energy transition: the new role of human capital
    Marina Albanese, Monica Varlese

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