Case studies from transition processes in coal dependent communities

This report explores what a just and fair transition looks like in the four country cases of Germany, Poland, South Africa and Indonesia. It aims to understand enablers and barriers to economic restructuring in the energy sector and identify and compare measures that ensure a just socio-economic transition for the workers and local communities involved. We include the power sector in the analysis due to the interdependency with coal in these regions, and the overall implications for the energy transition. In each country, one region was used to exemplify their pathway to a low carbon society.

Germany: Lausitz – brown coal mining and power generation Poland: Silesia – black coal mining and power generation South Africa: Mpumalanga – black coal mining and power generation Indonesia: East Kalimantan – coal mining and power generation

The study draws on qualitative research through desktop research of current literature, studies and government and other reports, including a brief media analysis of the most recent developments, supplemented with expert interviews.