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Open pit coal mine in Poland
Photo: imago images / Curioso_Travel_Phot
Poland plans to stop coal mining by 2049.
The national conservative government and employee representatives agreed on this, as Dominik Kolorz, regional president of the Solidarnosc union, announced to journalists.
Until the last mine is closed, this branch of industry, which is important for the Polish economy, is to continue to receive state funding.
"We have agreed to the dissolution of one of the most important industries in Poland's history, said unionist Kolorz. The unions had originally called for coal mining to continue until 2060.
The agreed exit from coal energy will enable a fair reorganization of Poland's mining and energy sectors, said the deputy minister for state holdings, Artur Sobon.
The aim of the agreement is that no worker currently employed in the industry loses his or her job because of the exit from coal mining.
Otherwise the state will provide social security, said Sobon.
80 percent of Poland's energy supply depends on coal
The agreement with the unions stipulates that the miners currently employed can either continue working until they retire or receive government support if this is not possible.
The government also wants to appoint an agent who will be responsible for the socio-economic transformation in the mining regions, especially in Upper Silesia.
The agreement must now be submitted to the EU Commission for approval.
Poland depends 80 percent on coal for its energy supply.
80,000 people currently work in mining.
In the early 1990s there were 400,000.
The Polish government is skeptical of the EU climate targets.
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caw / AFP / Reuters / dpa-AFX
