October 17, 2023
The global coal industry is expected to cut nearly one million jobs by 2050, according to recent research. These job losses are anticipated even without additional commitments to phase out fossil fuels, with China and India facing the most significant impact. Many labor-intensive coal mines are projected to close as they reach the end of their operational lives and countries transition to cleaner, low-carbon energy sources. However, the research highlights that most of these mines lack plans to extend their operations or manage a shift to post-coal economies.
Dorothy Mei, the project manager for GEM’s Global Coal Mine Tracker, emphasized the need for governments to develop strategies that protect workers during the energy transition, stating, “Coal mine closures are inevitable, but economic hardship and social strife for workers are not.”
GEM’s analysis covered 4,300 active and proposed coal mine projects worldwide, employing a combined workforce of nearly 2.7 million. Among these mines, over 400,000 workers are in operations set to close before 2035. If global efforts to phase down coal to limit global warming to 1.5 °C were implemented, GEM estimated that only 250,000 miners, less than 10% of the current workforce, would be needed globally.
China’s coal industry, the world’s largest, currently employs over 1.5 million people, with more than 240,000 expected job losses by 2050 concentrated in the Shanxi province. China has already witnessed multiple waves of restructuring in its coal sector, leaving some mining districts struggling to find new sources of growth and employment.
Ryan Driskell Tate, GEM’s program director for coal, emphasized the importance of proactive planning for coal workers and communities. He called for industry and governments to be accountable and provide support to workers who have been significantly impacted by the coal industry’s practices.
Source: miningweekly
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