Europe’s last coal – a photo essay
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- Poland extracts about 85 million tonnes of coal a year—under 1 % of global output—while coal still fuels roughly half of its electricity.
- Murcki‑Staszic coalmine produces roughly 23 000 tonnes of coal daily, with about 80 000 miners working in Upper Silesia.
- European Union set a 2049 deadline for a climate‑neutral power mix, forcing subsidies to keep Polish mines alive.
- European Just Transition Fund promises billions of euros to diversify the mono‑industrial region of Upper Silesia.
- GGG (Polish mining giant) owns the Murcki‑Staszic mine and must dig deeper than 1 000 metres to stay viable as imported coal undercuts prices.
Why it matters: Poland’s 80 000 miners face unemployment as the EU’s 2049 climate‑neutral deadline pushes subsidies to phase out 23 000 t/d of domestic coal, driving the region toward foreign imports and economic restructuring.
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