The Polish Green Network and nine other civil society organisations have sent a letter to prime minister Donald Tusk, calling on the government to take the lead in prioritising the just transition in the country’s coal regions. With billions of public money at stake, Poland risks losing vital funding from the EU’s Just Transition Fund unless swift action is taken.
‘Who’s at the helm?’ ask the authors of the appeal, pointing to a lack of coordination and political leadership on Poland’s just transition at the highest level. They warn that the future of the Just Transition Fund – due to expire when the current EU budget funding cycle ends in 2027 – now hangs in the balance. Whether the Fund continues as part of the next Multiannual Financial Framework will be decided in the upcoming EU budget negotiations. But without the involvement of the Polish government, this vital funding source could disappear.
Alina Pogoda, just transition specialist at the Polish Green Network, underscores this urgency: ‘Poland needs a leader who will fight for the continuation of the Just Transition Fund in the EU – ideally, the Prime Minister himself. But time is running out – and with it, the chance to secure essential funding for hundreds of thousands of residents in regions transitioning away from coal. This is our opportunity. We must act now to secure the future of the people who lived off coal for decades. The whole of Poland benefited from their work. We cannot leave them behind.’
A fund that works
The Just Transition Fund is the EU’s first financial instrument dedicated specifically to supporting coal regions. Poland has been allocated EUR 3.8 billion to drive the creation of new jobs, invest in green technologies, and revitalise post-mining areas. As a result, the just transition regions of Silesia, Eastern Wielkopolska, Bełchatow, Wałbrzych, and Western Małopolska have made significant progress in reducing their dependence on coal.
A recent report commissioned by the Polish Green Network illustrates how the Fund has opened the door to viable economic alternatives, providing local governments with the impetus they need to plan for a future beyond coal.
Mateusz Kowalik, just transition specialist at the Polish Green Network, reflects on this shift: ‘Thanks to the Fund, the imagination of residents, local governments, and entrepreneurs has begun to shift. Coal is no longer the only scenario.’
Appeal from the regions
The letter follows on from a joint position statement issued in March this year by representatives of regions eligible for the Just Transition Fund. In it, they called on the Polish government and EU institutions to ensure continued support beyond 2027.
In their view, the Fund has been effective precisely because it responds to the needs identified locally through the territorial just transition plans. They attribute its success to the fact that it was created from the bottom up, and prioritises the participation of local authorities and communities – a legacy that must be preserved.
Transition far from over
The transition of Poland’s coal regions is proceeding unevenly. In Eastern Wielkopolska, the last ZE PAK open-pit mine is scheduled to close by 2026. In contrast, Bełchatów is expected to continue using coal until at least 2038. Meanwhile, other areas – such as the Turow region and the Lublin coal basin – have yet to receive Just Transition Fund support, even as mine closures loom.
If support is not extended, the authors warn, the country risks repeating the mistakes of the 1990s when regions like Walbrzych, once reliant on coal, were left without sufficient alternatives – resulting in high unemployment, youth migration and long-term social decline.
Poland can be a leader
But it doesn’t have to be this way. As the largest beneficiary of the Just Transition Fund in the current EU budget cycle, Poland is uniquely positioned to take the lead in ensuring the Fund continues.
However, the signatories to the letter argue that the government’s current approach lacks ambition, even as regional representatives are already advocating in Brussels with a unified voice. In their view, it is now essential for national leadership to match this regional momentum and ensure Poland speaks with a strong, coordinated voice at the EU level.
The timing of the letter comes at a strategic moment, coinciding with ongoing negotiations over the next EU budget and the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The message from the signatories is clear: The Polish government must seize this moment to push for the extension of a financial mechanism dedicated to coal regions. Without it, the path to a just and stable transition could be severely compromised.