Lessons learned from the restructuring of Poland's coal-mining industry

This report examines the restructuring of the coal-mining industry in Poland following the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy starting in 1989.

• Following the start of the economic transition in 1989, the Polish coal mining industry faced a decline in demand for coal while price controls remained, leading to an unsustainable situation characterized by over-employment and high production costs.
• Initial government attempts to address the industry's issues were unsuccessful; partial success was only achieved through a program supported by the Solidarity trade union and funded by significant public investment for mine closures and social benefits.
• The restructuring process has led to coal companies nearly reaching long-term viability and the beginning of privatization.

APA

Suwala,, W. (2010). Lessons learned from the restructuring of Poland's coal-mining industry. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/lessons-learned-restructuring-polands-coal-mining-industry

Chicago

Suwala,, Wojciech. Lessons learned from the restructuring of Poland's coal-mining industry. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/lessons-learned-restructuring-polands-coal-mining-industry.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Suwala, |first1=Wojciech |title=Lessons learned from the restructuring of Poland's coal-mining industry |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=22 April 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/lessons-learned-restructuring-polands-coal-mining-industry |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{suwala2010lessons, author = {Suwala,, Wojciech}, title = {{Lessons learned from the restructuring of Poland's coal-mining industry}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/lessons-learned-restructuring-polands-coal-mining-industry}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }