The Welsh coal mining industry experienced a long decline over nearly a century, from over 290 thousand workers in 1921 to less than 500 in 2016, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of workers and their families. Although many former mining communities continue to be disadvantaged to this day, particularly the most remote ones, Wales was able to retain its population and continue to grow, demonstrating that it is possible to reconstruct the economy of a region historically dependent on coal.
Policy measures were implemented from as early as the 1930s to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of coal-mining decline and to promote economic regeneration. The case study draws important lessons from the experience of Wales. The conclusions are formulated along some of the questions that active coal-mining regions are facing today, such as:
About the author:
Ana Marques is an independent Consultant and Researcher on Environment, Climate and Sustainable Energy. She has been actively contributing to international cooperation and public policy development for nearly 10 years.
Acknowledgments:
The author wishes to thank the cooperation, contributions and reviews of:
Please cite as:
Marques, A. (2019). Case study: Welsh coal-exit – A policy package for regional economic regeneration. Published by Potential | Energy Savings and Decarbonization. Available for download at: www.seize-the-potential.net.
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