Role and meaning of coal mining in poland

Fuel and energy management and related energy security are key issues for every country. The selection of energy sources used by individual countries depends on the possessed resources of energy raw materials, the economic position and, to an increasing extent, the approach to environmental protection. These factors shape the so-called energy policy of a given country. In the case of Poland, this policy is based on conventional energy sources. The main energy resource of the country is hard coal, the extraction of which ensures Poland's energy security to a large extent. However, the decarbonization of the European economy introduced by the European Union in recent years may have a very unfavorable effect on coal mining in Poland. Activities related to running this policy can have a very negative impact on the economy of the country. In particular, it applies to coal mining in which many people work. At the same time, hard coal guarantees Poland's energy security as a strategic raw material which is the basic source of the country’s energy production. The article presents the results of the analysis of the role and importance of coal mining for the development and existence of the Polish economy. Both economic, technical and social as well as environmental aspects were taken into account. The analysis was related to the European Council's assumptions regarding the basic pillars of the decarbonization of the European economy. The introduction of these assumptions may mean practical elimination of coal from European energy. Such a solution, preferred by countries which do not have mining, is unacceptable for Poland, where energy comes mainly from coal. The article also presents the analysis of the costs of electricity production from coal and other energy sources, including alternative sources. Moreover, it considers the environmental factor and energy independence which are geopolitical concerns. According to the authors, issues related to the choice of directions of energy development in the European Union should take into account the specificity of individual countries, their wealth and geopolitical situation to a greater extent.