ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the socio-economic landscape of Silesia, Poland, as it navigates the green transition, building upon decades of industrial restructuring initiated after the fall of communism. Despite significant reductions in coal mining employment since 1990 and economic diversification into manufacturing, logistics, and business services, Silesia remains Europe’s largest hard coal basin, with coal deeply embedded in its identity and energy supply narrative, often termed “black gold”. The chapter questions whether the current “just transition”, supported by significant EU funding like the Just Transition Fund, represents a truly new phase or merely another wave in a long-term restructuring process. It highlights ongoing challenges, including the legacy of mining damage, uncertainty surrounding national energy policy, the implementation of social agreements for mine closures, and concerns about the effective and equitable use of transition funds. The research identifies potentially marginalized groups: residents of old industrial housing, women from mining families facing shifting roles, and youth navigating inherited narratives alongside new environmental and economic realities.
