Strukturwandel als Gelegenheit für die Lausitz. Warum dem Anfang noch der Zauber fehlt

Our contribution starts off by describing the current situation in Lusatia regarding the coal phase-out. This includes the current plans for organizing a just transition for workers and for funding the economic transition away from coal. We reflect on the history of Lusatia as a coal region and its partial breakdown in the 1990s. The work of the "coal commission" is also included in the analysis. We then offer five insights into the transformation dynamic in Lusatia - from the perspective of mayors, regional appointees (provincial government), civil society, a transition agency, and young trainees in the coal sector. We suggest that the common denominators between them are simultaneity and uncertainty. Based on our analysis, we carve out common challenges, including ongoing local conflicts around coal, exaggerated expectations, a lack of meaningful participatory opportunities and the persistence of unsustainable economic activities. We therefore suggest that the transition process in Lusatia requires a debate on the role sustainability should have in the transformation, and improved possibilities for impactful participation opportunities.