Just Transition in European Coal Regions: Comparative Analysis of Good Practices under the European Green Deal

Authors

Žan Jan Oplotnik
University of Maribor, Faculty of Economics and Business
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5579-2955
Noémia Peres De Bessa Vilela
Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Faculty of Law and Administration
Vasja Kolšek
Meta Kolšek
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2149-9349
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.epf.7.2026.58

Synopsis

The phase-out of coal represents a major structural transformation for coal-dependent regions in the European Union, with significant socio-economic implications for regional labour markets, economic structures, and demographic stability. This study examines the just transition process in selected European coal regions using a comparative case-study methodology. The analysis focuses on four key dimensions of transition performance: governance capacity, labour-market outcomes, economic diversification, and demographic trends. To enhance analytical consistency, the paper introduces a qualitative Just Transition Performance Index (JTPI), which integrates these dimensions into a structured comparative framework. Based on empirical evidence and index-based interpretation, the study develops a typology of coal regions, distinguishing structurally resilient regions, transitional regions with mixed outcomes, and socially vulnerable regions. The findings contribute to the understanding of regional transition dynamics and highlight the importance of institutional capacity, strategic planning, and economic diversification for achieving sustainable and socially balanced transition outcomes.

Author Biographies

Žan Jan Oplotnik, University of Maribor, Faculty of Economics and Business

Žan Jan Oplotnik is a Full Professor of Finance and International Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor, Slovenia. He earned his PhD in Economics from the University of Ljubljana. His research focuses on public finance, fiscal decentralization, and public investment. He has led and participated in numerous research projects and published extensively in indexed journals. He teaches at all study levels, supervises doctoral students, and is actively engaged in consulting and editorial work in economics and finance.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: zan.oplotnik@um.si 

Noémia Peres De Bessa Vilela, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Faculty of Law and Administration

Noémia Bessa Vilela is a legal scholar affiliated with Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS) in Lublin, Poland. She holds a PhD in Law from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest and is the founder and director of OPHIZ Research in Maribor, Slovenia. Her research focuses on European governance, legal sciences, and intergovernmental coordination. She has published extensively and currently serves as Action Chair of COST Action CA20123 IGCOORD network. She collaborates internationally on EU-funded research projects.

Lublin, Poland. E-mail: Nomeia.bessavilela@mail.umcs.pl

Vasja Kolšek

Vasja Kolšek is an independent researcher and business consultant specialising in economic analysis, regional development, and socio-economic impact assessment. He has participated in research projects addressing the restructuring of coal regions and just transition processes, collaborating with universities, research institutions, and development agencies. His work focuses on economic restructuring, public policy analysis, and regional transition dynamics, particularly in the context of energy transition and regional economic transformation.

Postojna, Slovenia. E-mail: vasja.kolsek@gmail.com

Meta Kolšek, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering

Meta Kolšek is a student at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. She has participated as an associated researcher in projects addressing economic analysis, regional development, and just transition processes in coal-dependent regions. Her work focuses on data analysis, interdisciplinary research, and the socio-economic aspects of energy transition.

Ljubljana, Slovenia. E-mail: meta.kolsek@gmail.com 

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Volume

Sustainable Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on ESG, Digital Transformation and Corporate Responsibility

Pages

1133-1160

Published

July 3, 2026

Categories

Copyright (c) 2026 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Oplotnik, Žan J., Peres De Bessa Vilela, N., Kolšek, V., & Kolšek, M. (2026). Just Transition in European Coal Regions: Comparative Analysis of Good Practices under the European Green Deal. In J. Belak & S. Oberman Peterka (Eds.), Sustainable Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on ESG, Digital Transformation and Corporate Responsibility (pp. 1133-1160). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.epf.7.2026.58