IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i20p9069-d1770276.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Models of Post-Mining Land Reuse in Poland

Author

Listed:
  • Aleksandra Wyrzykowska

    (Faculty of Architecture, The Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 7, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Monika Janiszek

    (Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, University of Silesia in Katowice, 60 Będzińska Street, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

This article evaluates the effectiveness of Poland’s current mine closure model in promoting the sustainable reuse of post-mining land, particularly in urbanised regions such as the Upper Silesian–Zagłębie Metropolis. A mixed-methods approach is applied, combining archival and cartographic analysis, field surveys, and a comparative policy review. The study examines 81 post-mining areas associated with 20 decommissioned coal mines. Two dominant transformation models are identified: planned redevelopment guided by public–private strategies, and unplanned, market-driven reuse based on opportunistic adaptation. While the system ensures technical and environmental safety via the Mine Restructuring Company (SRK S.A.), it remains weakly integrated with spatial planning policies and often marginalises key stakeholders. This leads to fragmented land reuse, underinvestment, and misalignment with sustainability objectives. A comparative review of models from Germany, the UK, and the Czech Republic highlights the importance of institutional coordination, strategic planning tools, and community involvement. The article concludes with policy recommendations to enhance governance, planning coherence, and social inclusion in post-mining transformation processes in Poland.

Suggested Citation

  • Aleksandra Wyrzykowska & Monika Janiszek, 2025. "Models of Post-Mining Land Reuse in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-37, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:20:p:9069-:d:1770276
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/20/9069/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/20/9069/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maciej Nowak & Giancarlo Cotella & Przemysław Śleszyński, 2021. "The Legal, Administrative, and Governance Frameworks of Spatial Policy, Planning, and Land Use: Interdependencies, Barriers, and Directions of Change," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-9, October.
    2. Hendrychová, Markéta & Svobodova, Kamila & Kabrna, Martin, 2020. "Mine reclamation planning and management: Integrating natural habitats into post-mining land use," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    3. Xiaowei Zhai & Zhuo Cheng & Keyu Ai & Bo Shang, 2020. "Research on Environmental Sustainability of Coal Cities: A Case Study of Yulin, China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Shanshan Feng & Wei Hou & Jiang Chang, 2019. "Changing Coal Mining Brownfields into Green Infrastructure Based on Ecological Potential Assessment in Xuzhou, Eastern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-13, April.
    5. Li, Gensheng & Hu, Zhenqi & Li, Pengyu & Yuan, Dongzhu & Wang, Wenjuan & Han, Jiazheng & Yang, Kun, 2022. "Optimal layout of underground coal mining with ground development or protection: A case study of Jining, China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    6. Worden, Sandy & Svobodova, Kamila & Côte, Claire & Bolz, Pascal, 2024. "Regional post-mining land use assessment: An interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    7. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    8. Measham, Thomas & Walker, Jim & Haslam McKenzie, Fiona & Kirby, Jason & Williams, Caroline & D'Urso, Jillian & Littleboy, Anna & Samper, Agnes & Rey, Rebecca & Maybee, Bryan & Brereton, David & Boggs,, 2024. "Beyond closure: A literature review and research agenda for post-mining transitions," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    9. Aragón, Fernando M. & Rud, Juan Pablo & Toews, Gerhard, 2018. "Resource shocks, employment, and gender: Evidence from the collapse of the UK coal industry," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 54-67.
    10. Sławomir Pytel & Sławomir Sitek & Marta Chmielewska & Elżbieta Zuzańska-Żyśko & Anna Runge & Julita Markiewicz-Patkowska, 2021. "Transformation Directions of Brownfields: The Case of the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, February.
    11. Niu, Hebin & Wang, Jinman & Jing, Zhaorui & Liu, Biao, 2023. "Identification and management of land use conflicts in mining cities: A case study of Shuozhou in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hu, Zhenqi & Li, Gensheng & Xia, Jianan & Feng, Zhanjie & Han, Jiazheng & Chen, Zanxu & Wang, Wenjuan & Li, Guodong, 2023. "Coupling of underground coal mining and mine reclamation for farmland protection and sustainable mining," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    2. Ruiya Zhang & Yoginder P. Chugh, 2023. "Sustainable Development of Underground Coal Resources in Shallow Groundwater Areas for Environment and Socio-Economic Considerations: A Case Study of Zhangji Coal Mine in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Measham, Thomas & Walker, Jim & Haslam McKenzie, Fiona & Kirby, Jason & Williams, Caroline & D'Urso, Jillian & Littleboy, Anna & Samper, Agnes & Rey, Rebecca & Maybee, Bryan & Brereton, David & Boggs,, 2024. "Beyond closure: A literature review and research agenda for post-mining transitions," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    4. Kozłowska-Woszczycka, Aleksandra & Pactwa, Katarzyna & Konieczna-Fuławka, Martyna, 2025. "From black gold to green goals: The uneven path of just transition in Poland," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    5. Paulina Schiappacasse & Bernhard Müller & Le Thuy Linh, 2019. "Towards Responsible Aggregate Mining in Vietnam," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-15, August.
    6. Pina Puntillo, 2023. "Circular economy business models: Towards achieving sustainable development goals in the waste management sector—Empirical evidence and theoretical implications," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 941-954, March.
    7. R. Ebrahimi & S. Choobchian & H. Farhadian & I. Goli & E. Farmandeh & H. Azadi, 2022. "Investigating the effect of vocational education and training on rural women’s empowerment," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. repec:bdu:ojjppa:v:10:y:2025:i:1:p:46-62:id:3297 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Bárbara Galleli & Elder Semprebon & Joyce Aparecida Ramos dos Santos & Noah Emanuel Brito Teles & Mateus Santos de Freitas-Martins & Raquel Teodoro da Silva Onevetch, 2021. "Institutional Pressures, Sustainable Development Goals and COVID-19: How Are Organisations Engaging?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, November.
    10. Anna Napiórkowska & Piotr Zaborek & Marzanna Katarzyna Witek-Hajduk & Anna Grudecka, 2025. "Individual Cultural Values and Charitable Crowdfunding: Driving Social Sustainability Through Consumer Engagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-26, June.
    11. Sagarika Dey & Priyanka Devi, 2019. "Impact of TVET on Labour Market Outcomes and Women’s Empowerment in Rural Areas: A Case Study from Cachar District, Assam," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 13(3), pages 357-371, December.
    12. Maria Sassi, 2020. "A SEM Approach to the Direct and Indirect Links between WaSH Services and Access to Food in Countries in Protracted Crises: The Case of Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State, South Sudan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-13, November.
    13. Olga Stepanova & Magdalena Romanov, 2021. "Urban Planning as a Strategy to Implement Social Sustainability Policy Goals? The Case of Temporary Housing for Immigrants in Gothenburg, Sweden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    14. Michel, Hanno, 2020. "From local to global: The role of knowledge, transfer, and capacity building for successful energy transitions," Discussion Papers, Research Group Digital Mobility and Social Differentiation SP III 2020-603, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    15. Hervé Corvellec & Johan Hultman & Anne Jerneck & Susanne Arvidsson & Johan Ekroos & Niklas Wahlberg & Timothy W. Luke, 2021. "Resourcification: A non‐essentialist theory of resources for sustainable development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(6), pages 1249-1256, November.
    16. Wilson Charles Wilson & Maja Slingerland & Frederick P. Baijukya & Hannah Zanten & Simon Oosting & Ken E. Giller, 2021. "Integrating the soybean-maize-chicken value chains to attain nutritious diets in Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(6), pages 1595-1612, December.
    17. Jones, Lindsey & d'Errico, Marco, 2019. "Whose resilience matters? Like-for-like comparison of objective and subjective evaluations of resilience," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 1-1.
    18. Stephan E. Maurer & Andrei V. Potlogea, 2021. "Male‐biased Demand Shocks and Women's Labour Force Participation: Evidence from Large Oil Field Discoveries," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 88(349), pages 167-188, January.
    19. Bin Xue & Bingsheng Liu & Tao Liang & Dong Zhao & Tao Wang & Xingbin Chen, 2022. "A heterogeneous decision criteria system evaluating sustainable infrastructure development: From the lens of multidisciplinary stakeholder engagement," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(4), pages 556-579, August.
    20. Sudheesh Ramapurath Chemmencheri, 2016. "Social Protection as a Human Right in South Asia," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 10(2), pages 236-252, August.
    21. Ingrid Boas & Frank Biermann & Norichika Kanie, 2016. "Cross-sectoral strategies in global sustainability governance: towards a nexus approach," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 449-464, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:20:p:9069-:d:1770276. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.