Remodelling Local Development Based on Just Transition Funds: Case Study of Polish Post-Coal Subregion

Wałbrzych Subregion was based on the coal industry until 1991 when the last mine was closed. The area still faced the consequences of unfinished transformation: a low level of social-economic development, infrastructure degradation and a small endogenic potential insufficient to support long-term development. Negative effects of transformation can be observed in social and economic indicators. Just Transition Mechanism of European Union leads toward new possibilities for small local units with post-coal legacy. The aim of this paper is to analyse undertaken action towards new local development activators in Wałbrzyski Subregion based on Just Transition Mechanism. Poland originally drafted Territorial Just Transition Plans for seven subregions: Eastern Wielkopolska, Upper Silesia, Lublin Voivodeship, Łódź Voivodeship (the Bełchatów region), Western Małopolska, the Zgorzelec and Wałbrzych regions (both Lower Silesia). However, only five plans were formally submitted to the European Commission: Eastern Wielkopolska, Upper Silesia, Łódź (for Bełchatów), Lower Silesia (for Wałbrzych) and Western Małopolska. The main research methods were statistical methods and comparative methods. The undertaken research consisted of three stages. To evaluate the social and economic situation, Eurostat and Local Data Bank data were used. In further steps, the analysis of both Territorial Just Transition Plan for Lower Silesia and Social Plan for Just Transition for Wałbrzyski subregion was the basis study. In some areas, the Wałbrzyski subregion was compared to other Coal Subregions accepted for financing from Just Transition Mechanism of the European Union. The last step was the analysis of ongoing projects as well as the ones submitted for further financing from the European Fund for Lower Silesia 2021-2027 and interviews with local authorities.