Global Perspective on Coal Jobs and Managing Labor Transitions out of Coal Report and Executive Summary

The widely shared objective of transition to cleaner energy and reduced dependence on coal presents tremendous challenges, not only to coal sector producers and workers, but because of the broader implications for other sectors in coal-producing nations. A large proportion of energy infrastructure is built around coal-fired power plants (even in non-coal producing countries), economic production structures are energy-intensive, and coal value chains are long. In regions where coal mining takes place, the effects of transition cut very deeply, especially in small, remote mining communities where the local economy depends on coal. The transition can create multiple disruptions: to jobs - both direct and indirect, to household incomes, to local economies heavily tied into the coal supply chain, to community well-being and social capital, and to local and regional government capacity and fiscal solvency. This issues paper analyzes the status of coal phase-out around the world, the magnitude and character of coal mining jobs and their spillovers in local economies, and the challenges associated with future labor transition. This report is part of a broader multi-sector effort by the World Bank to support coal regions confronting the realities of decarbonization and help lay the groundwork for achieving a just transition for all.