Upon completion of the turn, the adolescent males relocated.
Central Germany is bracing for significant demographic and economic changes as the region's brown coal mines, a major employment source, are set to close by 2035. The impending closure will likely lead to population decline and socio-economic hardship if not addressed through active, inclusive, and well-funded transition and regeneration policies.
The closure of the mines will heavily impact the labor market in the region, which has traditionally depended on coal mining for jobs. Without sufficient government investment, skill retraining, and regional regeneration programs, these coal communities risk severe economic hardship and job losses, which typically lead to demographic decline through out-migration, especially among younger populations.
Policy research emphasises the importance of a "just transition" to avoid worsening social impacts such as poverty, inequality, and possible population losses in coal-intensive regions. Engagement of affected stakeholders and inclusive governance is critical to designing sustainable transitions that minimise negative demographic consequences.
Germany is developing alternative energy sectors like geothermal power in former coal regions, which may partially offset job losses if these industries grow sufficiently and attract new workers. However, transition to geothermal and other industrial activities requires policy support and investment to create new employment opportunities to stabilise local populations.
Frustration is mounting at the open-cast mine edge in the Lusatian District about the lack of industrial jobs after the end of coal mining. County Administrator Götz Ulrich aims to ensure that new companies settle in the Central German region to provide new jobs for the miners by 2035. Many miners bring skills that are also in demand in other areas, particularly in manufacturing.
The Central German region is experiencing a demographic change with around 300,000 people reaching retirement age in the next ten years and only around 180,000 entering the workforce. The ratio between young and old is becoming increasingly unbalanced in the Central German Coal District, with the number of young adults between 19 and 24 years decreasing by around 10 percent.
Social geographer Klaus Friedrich calls for measures in rural regions to retain young people locally, such as strengthening regional centres and maintaining kindergartens and schools. The most important measure to retain young families in rural areas is a family- and child-friendly regional policy, according to Klaus Friedrich. County Administrator Götz Ulrich hopes that some of the young, qualified people who have left the region will return through offers of well-paid industrial jobs within the district by 2035.
In the 1990s, around 30,000 young adults left the Leipzig and Halle brown coal region. After reunification, the Central German region, one of the most important centers of brown coal production, lost around 60,000 people due to internal migration. Between 1991 and 1993, the Central German region lost a net total of around 60,000 people due to internal migration. Around 5,800 young adults moved to Bavaria, 5,100 to Baden-Württemberg, 4,100 to North Rhine-Westphalia, 3,400 to Lower Saxony, and 2,300 to Hesse.
The largest still active mine in the Central German Coal District is the Tagebau Profen, which is expected to close by 2035. Only around 2,000 people are still employed in the brown coal industry in the Central German region.
In conclusion, the closure of brown coal mines by 2035 in Central Germany is expected to trigger demographic shifts marked by population decline and socio-economic hardship if not addressed through active, inclusive, and well-funded transition and regeneration policies. The region needs to invest in alternative industries, create job opportunities, and implement family-friendly policies to retain its young population and ensure a sustainable future.
- To mitigate the economic impact of the brown coal mines closing by 2035, it's crucial to invest in alternative sectors like renewable energy, such as geothermal power, in former coal regions.
- Policy support and investment in these new industries are essential to create enough new employment opportunities and stabilize local populations.
- As the Central German region faces a demographic change with more retirees and fewer young workers, maintaining kindergartens, schools, and implementing family-friendly policies are key to retaining young families in rural areas.
- Without active, inclusive, and well-funded transition and regeneration policies, the impending mine closures may lead to significant job losses and demographic decline through out-migration, especially among younger populations.
