With the successful completion of its research phase, the EU-funded WINTER project has delivered significant results for regions that are turning away from coal mining. Scientists from the Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN) at the Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences were part of the project. They contributed to the success of the project by identifying regional governance structures in the three pilot regions of Western Macedonia, Konin and the Ruhr area and compiling socio-economic aspects of structural change. They published their evaluations and recommendations for action in the specially published Transition Management Handbook.
“WINTER is the first comprehensive introductory work for overarching regional management,” says project manager Julia Haske from the FZN. “This model looks at socio-economic as well as environmental changes. It integrates various local actors and structures into an overarching system. It thus provides the basis for a coordinated and effective implementation of structural change processes.”
Long-term tasks for authorities and governments
WINTER shows how the withdrawal from coal mining affects the social and economic structures in the affected regions. The researchers have examined the changes to employment, education and the local economy and developed recommendations to minimize the negative effects and promote positive developments.
The research results underline the necessity of careful planning for the transformation of the landscape in former coal regions. At the same time, they used a media analysis to investigate which accompanying communication strategies lead to greater acceptance among the regional public.
© Volker Wiciok/ THGA
The WINTER project thus represents a pioneering model for other coal regions in Europe. The knowledge gained is not limited to the pilot regions, but can also be applied to other regions embarking on the path of structural change. The experience of the Ruhr region plays a central role in this and serves as a valuable guide. The Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN) has developed practical guidelines based on its own transformation processes and analyzed how the specific situations and decisions in the Ruhr region can be transferred to other regions.
This structured guide is intended to provide decision-makers, scientists, mining companies and related industries with sound orientation for the complex transformation. The FZN is thus using its many years of experience to support change at a European level.
The findings have been published on a web platform. The Transition Management Handbook offers a practice-oriented guide for change processes.
This project has received funding from the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) under GRANT AGREEMENT No. 101057228.
Contact
Julia Haske, MA
Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola, University
Herner Street 45
44787 Bochum
Building 2, room 202
Phone 0234 968 4147
Mail julia.haske@thga.de
