Options to Support Workers Through a Transition Away from Coal in Eastern Wielkopolska - Policy Note - March 2022

Jul 19, 2026

Policy note analyzing how to support workers in Eastern Wielkopolska during the transition away from coal-based energy production. It frames regional dependence on coal and the associated emissions, alongside energy poverty and planned shutdown timelines for lignite mining and power plants. It explains the EU climate commitments and Just Transition Mechanism, focusing on access to Just Transition Fund resources through Territorial Just Transition Plans. It then outlines labor-market context, employment protection law, draft TJTP-related project proposals, implementation arrangements, and international good practices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages33

Reading Time1 h 23 min

Background

Regional dependence on coal and emissions

EU climate commitments and Just Transition Mechanism

Context

Local labor markets

Public employment services

Relevant employment protection law and social protection entitlements

Draft project proposals for coal workers under the TJTP

International good practices for a successful transition of affected workers

Proposed implementation arrangements for a comprehensive program for coal-related workers

References

Annex 1. List of consultations

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Options to support workers through a transition away from coal in Eastern Wielkopolska 1 Maddalena Honorati March 2022 1 The policy note was prepared by Maddalena Honorati with inputs from Anna Banaszczyk, Tomasz Gajderowicz, and Celine Ferré . . Luc Christiansen, Elizabeth Ruppert Bulmer, Rachel Bernice Perks, Lucian Bucur Pop, Manuel Salazar, Javier Sanchez, and Filip Kochan provided valuable comments to note. The note benefited from detailed comments received from ZE PAK SA and the trade unions of the ZE PAK Capital Group, the Institute for Green Future, the Association for Social Cooperatives, the Regional Center for Social Policy, the Regional Labor Office (LO) in Poznań, the Konin Agency for Regional Development (ARR), and the Marshall’s Office of Wielkopolska region. Table of Contents Background ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Context .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Local labor markets ................................................................................................................................... 6 Public employment services ................................................................................................................... 11 Relevant employment protection law and social protection entitlements............................................ 13 Overview of the draft project proposals to support coal workers under the TJTP .................................... 15 International good practices for a successful transition of affected workers ............................................ 20 Proposed implementation arrangements for a comprehensive program for coal-related workers..........25 References .................................................................................................................................................. 31 Annex 1. List of consultations (October 2021–March 2022) ...................................................................... 32 Background Eastern Wielkopolska is an area that is economically heavily dependent on coal and energy production (it generates 5 percent of Poland’s electricity) and is characterized by the presence of the most polluting plants in the region: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Eastern Wielkopolska amounted to 7.62 million Mg in 2019, about 62 percent of all emissions in Wielkopolska. The energy poverty and the challenge of changing the heating structure of both private and public buildings are pressing.2 The ZE PAK Capital Group is the biggest employer in the region and the largest private energy group in Poland, consisting of entities acting in the field of lignite extraction, power generation from conventional and renewable sources, heat production, and electricity trading. Lignite mining activities are planned to shutdown in KWB Konin (operating in the area of Konin and Kola) by 2030 and in three power plants operated by the ZE PAK Capital Group by 2024.3 The region’s ambition is to transition out of coal-based energy production toward green energy as part of the regional smart specialization of the Greater Poland voivodeship and of the Konin subregion: renewable energy sources (RES) and modern energy technologies, including hydrogen. The European Union (EU) committed to global climate policies including those declared in the Paris Agreement (2015) and the European Green Deal (EGD), a growth strategy aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 in the EU. The intermediate target is to reduce GHG emissions by 55 percent (compared to 1990 levels) by 2030, in line with the EU’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) .4 The Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) will help mobilize about €100 bil

FAQs

Why does Eastern Wielkopolska need a coal-transition worker support approach?

The region is heavily dependent on coal and energy production, with major emissions and pressing energy-poverty challenges. Planned shutdowns of lignite mining and power plants increase the need to manage employment and social impacts.

What EU mechanisms underpin funding for coal-region transitions in this policy note?

The European Union’s Just Transition Mechanism supports investments to meet climate targets. The Just Transition Fund, accessed through eligible regions’ Territorial Just Transition Plans, is identified as the key financial instrument for mitigating social and employment effects.

Which elements does the note include to support coal workers during the transition?

It covers labor-market context, public employment services, relevant employment protection and social protection entitlements, and an overview of draft TJTP project proposals. It also presents implementation arrangements and draws on international good practices for affected-worker transitions.

Jul 19, 2026

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