Our warming world needs to wean itself away from fossil fuels, but closing coal mines can impact jobs and communities. How can we phase out coal and support livelihoods, while also creating jobs for the future? That’s known as a https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/extractiveindustries/justtransition (Just Transition), and in this episode of https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/series/the-development-podcast (The Development Podcast), we hear about the challenges and opportunities when it comes to closing coal mines and transitioning jobs.
We get the expert view from https://blogs.worldbank.org/team/elizabeth-ruppert-bulmer (Elizabeth Ruppert-Bulmer), lead economist at the social protection & jobs global practice at the World Bank, and https://blogs.worldbank.org/team/rachel-perks (Rachel Perks), a senior mining specialist with the energy & extractives global practice at the World Bank. They explain why this task can’t be left to future generations to fix, and how phasing out coal can mean new opportunities for communities and jobs. We also get the view from India’s women in the informal sector, and hear from new solar panel owners, and from https://live.worldbank.org/experts/reema-nanavaty (Reema Nanavaty), director of the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA).
Timestamps[00:00] Welcome and introduction of the topic
[01:36] Trends with coal production in recent years
[06:54] Visions of India moving away from coal
[11:53] Just transition, coal, and climate change
[14:02] What's behind turning off coal
[15:55] Progress made around the world
[17:12] The impact of closing down coal mines
[21:05] Transitions and new livelihoods and opportunities
[22:54] Historical perspective and lessons learned
[24:40] Stakeholder engagement and consultations
[26:39] Land repurposing
[29:03] Closure and thanks for tuning!
Featured VoicesElizabeth Ruppert-Bulmer, Lead Economist, Social Protection & Jobs Global Practice, World Bank: "There are a whole slew of jobs that will be needed in that renewable energy space. A lot of these coal mining jobs are taken up by people who aren't youth, and then youth are struggling to find some alternative."
Rachel Perks, Senior Mining Specialist, Energy & Extractives Global Practice, World Bank: "We also have to be very sensitive that these are communities that have been dependent on their livelihoods and their identities for generations. Now we're asking them to reimagine, in fact, what their entire community is going to look like."
Reema Nanavaty, Director of India’s Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA): "You create a nurturing economy, generate greener livelihoods, and that is what exactly is just transition."

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