According to a report prepared by the Global Energy Monitor (GEM), there are approximately 2.7 million miners directly employed in coal mines worldwide. It is estimated that the coal industry is expected to lay off around half a million people by 2035, with an average of 100 workers at risk of redundancy per day.
Considering the projected mine closures, by 2050, there may be an estimated loss of around 1 million jobs. Of the total employment in coal mining worldwide, 2.2 million is located in Asia, and it is anticipated that employment in China and India will be most affected by mine closures.
According to official records, China, responsible for producing over half of the world's coal, employs over 1.5 million miners in its mines. India employs 337,400 miners.
Other countries, including Indonesia, Russia, and mines in Europe, will also see an impact on mining employment. India's state-owned company, Coal India, is at the top of the list with a risk of laying off 73,800 people by 2050.
In Türkiye, it is estimated that around 12,000 people are employed in mines and 2,000 miners are at risk of becoming unemployed by 2050.
Commenting on the report, Dorothy Mei, Project Manager of GEM's Global Coal Mine Tracker, noted that the closure of coal mines is inevitable and that the economic and social difficulties for workers can be prevented.
Ryan Driskell Tate, Director of the GEM Coal Program, stated, "If we want to ensure that the clean energy transition is more than just words, we need to prioritize workers. We need to be proactive in addressing the concerns of coal miners and communities with technologies and markets focused on energy transition."
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