Shanxi, China Creates Over 1,000 Jobs for Displaced Coal Workers

WRI collaborated with stakeholders in Shanxi, China, to implement a "coal-to-tourism" business model that created over 1,000 jobs for displaced coal workers and increased local household incomes by 10%-20%. The initiative led Shanxi to become the first Chinese province to formally integrate "just transition" principles into its government workplan, a model now being adopted by Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang provinces.

• The transition of Shanxi's economy from coal to tourism resulted in the creation of more than 1,000 jobs for displaced coal workers in roles such as bus drivers, tour guides, and heritage restoration assistants. Additionally, households located near the new tourism sites experienced an increase in annual incomes of 10%-20% through rental incomes and heightened economic activity.
• Shanxi is the first province in China to formally incorporate "just transition" principles—which focus on equity and inclusion during the shift to a green economy—into its official government workplan.
• The "coal-to-tourism" model developed in Shanxi has received national recognition and is being adopted by the provinces of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi. National planning institutions are also considering the inclusion of similar recommendations in the next five-year development plan for the coal sector.

APA

World Resources Institute (2026). Shanxi, China Creates Over 1,000 Jobs for Displaced Coal Workers. https://www.wri.org/outcomes/shanxi-china-creates-over-1000-jobs-displaced-coal-workers

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Shanxi, China Creates Over 1,000 Jobs for Displaced Coal Workers. 2026. https://www.wri.org/outcomes/shanxi-china-creates-over-1000-jobs-displaced-coal-workers.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Shanxi, China Creates Over 1,000 Jobs for Displaced Coal Workers |date=3 March 2026 |url=https://www.wri.org/outcomes/shanxi-china-creates-over-1000-jobs-displaced-coal-workers |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2026shanxi, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Shanxi, China Creates Over 1,000 Jobs for Displaced Coal Workers}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://www.wri.org/outcomes/shanxi-china-creates-over-1000-jobs-displaced-coal-workers}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }