The objective of the International Scientific-and-Technical Conference on Just Transition of Post-Mining Areas includes an active discussion and an exchange of experience in the scope of activities oriented onto the Just Transition of the Silesia Region and a familiarization with experts’ experience from the countries which were subject to transition processes, related to a reduction of mining activities, during the past years.

The Conference will concern Just Transition in several aspects. Invited guest-speakers will discuss both the effects of social transition, the issues of economic aspects related to activities of companies collaborating with the mining sector and technological challenges in closed-down mines. Some possibilities of transforming the mining plants to be closed down into enterprises generating and storing green energy will be discussed during the Conference.

A transition of the European economy towards greener and climate more friendly one belongs to the most important tasks determined by the European Union. It is a particularly big challenge for mining regions as regards technological challenges as well as social or economic ones. The transition process incorporates a liquidation of underground workings’ and surface infrastructure and also a series of indispensable actions oriented onto a restitution of the natural environment and a protection of the mine against hazards, which may occur after a termination of its exploitation.

The conference objective also embraces a use of European Countries’ experience in the scope of reducing electric energy generation from hard coal and lignite according to the Green Deal guidelines – recommendations for the process stake-holders.

Due to this fact a participation of foreign speakers and their presentations of case-studies from the following countries are planned in the Conference:

·         Germany: Saarland – Saar Coal Basin, Ruhr Coal Basin and Ibbenbueren,

·         UK: Regions of Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, North Yorkshire i Yorkshire

·         Belgium and the Netherlands: Aachen/Limburg Province

·         Spain: Asturia

·         Czech Republic: Regions of Most and Sokolov

Papers and discussions will concentrate on the following issues:

1.       Social-and-economic aspects of Just Transformation process of post-mining areas.

2.       Principles of Just Transformation with regard to the Green Deal requirements.

3.       Factors favourable to Just Transformation.

4.       Barriers to Just Transformation.

5.       Management of post-mining areas.

6.       Production of green energy, its storage and energy management.

7.       Creation of new work-places and indication of market niches.

8.       Management of Just Transformation process on local and regional levels.

9.       Determination of transformation process principles and formulation of guidelines for different groups of stake-holders, guaranteeing social approvals of changes.

10.   Designing and constructing equipment for aiding a protection of underground parts of mines against hazards.

11.   Possibilities of mining technologies transfer to mining markets under development.

12.   Assistance in export promotion on the market of mining machines and equipment.

It is assessed the circum-mining companies and other companies, collaborating with them, employ about 400 thousand workers. Entrepreneurs set big hopes on exports to the countries, where the coal market is still under development. The Conference participants will have a possibility of taking advantage of consultations concerning a technical and technological knowledge transfer to the rising mining markets and also some possibilities of starting scientific-and-research as well as economic collaboration in the scope of solutions for the mining sector, bearing in mind an international of the Polish producers’ offers.