The Impact of Opencast Lignite Mining on Rural Development: A Literature Review and Selected Case Studies Using Desk Research, Panel Data and GIS-Based Analysis
Metadata
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MDPI
Materia
Lignite life cycle Reclamation Opencast mining Sustainable development Rural development Geographic information system (GIS) Remote sensing Panel data analysis Granger causality Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)
Date
2022-07-26Referencia bibliográfica
Maciejewska, A... [et al.]. The Impact of Opencast Lignite Mining on Rural Development: A Literature Review and Selected Case Studies Using Desk Research, Panel Data and GIS-Based Analysis. Energies 2022, 15, 5402. [https://doi.org/10.3390/en15155402]
Sponsorship
Warsaw University of Technology 504/04513/1060/43.070007Abstract
The future of opencast mining and energy production based on conventional resources is
one of the most important issues being discussed in international forums. The whole discussion is
becoming increasingly heated and takes on a special significance with the drastic increase in energy
commodity prices that has occurred with the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Especially in a country
like Poland, these issues are accompanied by heated discussions between miners, the government
and citizens. It should be emphasised that Polish lignite mining currently produces about 35% of
the cheapest electricity in Poland and also creates many jobs. The aim of this study is to assess
the possibility of continuing opencast mining and its impact on rural development—both from an
environmental and socio-economic point of view. The study was conducted for two municipalities in
Poland where opencast lignite mining plays an important role, namely Kleszczów and Kleczew. As a
result, it was found that in the case of the studied municipalities, the presence of opencast mining
has contributed to their development, and the application of modern environmental protection
technologies and recultivation have reduced the difficulties associated with mining. On the other
hand, the decision to start mining should be the result of a comparison between the potential
environmental and social benefits and damages. In some cases, mining is beneficial for community
development and leads to new opportunities for agriculture and tourism after reclamation. The
study is a combination of different methods, i.e., case studies, GIS remote sensing analysis (based on
Landsat data) and econometric analysis for selected socio-economic data.