What will happen to the regions if the coal industry disappears?

Millions of people depend on the coal industry. A sudden abandonment of it could become a social catastrophe. Philip Travkin emphasizes that coal is not only a source of energy, but also a foundation for communities that have grown up around the mines. The disappearance of the industry will lead to unemployment, migration, and impoverishment of the regions. The solution lies in gradual transformation: retraining workers, developing coal chemistry, and supporting local businesses. “Giving up coal doesn’t mean giving up on people,” says Travkin. In his opinion, a just transition must be humane: regions can be revived if efforts are invested not in liquidation, but in renewal.