DYNAMICS ASSESSMENT OF THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS IN MINING REGIONS

• Published in: International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference : SGEM Vol. 21; no. 4.2; pp. 139 - 147
• Main Authors: Bluszcz, A, Manowska, A
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Sofia Surveying Geology & Mining Ecology Management (SGEM) 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Coal; Consumption; Cost benefit analysis; Dynamics; Economic development; Economics; Efficiency; Emissions; Employment; Energy; Energy conversion; GDP; Genetic transformation; Greenhouse effect; Greenhouse gases; Gross Domestic Product; Labour; Local communities; Mines; Mining industry; Natural resources; Productivity; Public sector; Regions; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Technological change; Romania; Europe; Poland; Germany
• ISSN: 1314-2704
• DOI: 10.5593/sgem2021V/4.2/s19.19

The article presents the current situation of the largest mining regions in the European Union, which is the Silesia region in Poland. The current legal conditions regarding the adopted ambitious climate goals in the 2030 and 2050 horizon and the resulting obligations of the Member States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will result in significant changes in the economic profile, in particular in the Silesia region. The energy transformation is a very complex and longterm process, which includes both technological changes in heavy industry, which in turn affects the process of stimulating and developing infrastructure in the mining area. These changes, in turn, lead to the creation of new markets that respond to current demand in line with new social preferences. All these factors can significantly affect the labor market and local communities, therefore the transformation process should protect both the interests of employees leaving mining enterprises and at the same time guarantee a transparent distribution of costs and benefits. These conditions can be met by involving all parties in the dialogue on the future of the mining industry in Poland and alternative directions of economic development. In the study, to assess the dynamics of changes taking place in the Silesia region, a statistical analysis was used based on the relationship of two variables illustrating the key parameters of the economic development of the region, i.e. the dynamics of GDP and the dynamics of employment in the age of 15-74. The analysis was performed in the period covering the years 2016-2020. The research results classify the analyzed regions and macro regions in Poland according to the four types of regions identified in the transformation dynamics matrix.