Introduction

With coal production and consumption decreasing in some countries while rising in others, it is clear that there are multiple coal transitions underway, occurring along diverse timelines, each with their own set of challenges and opportunities.

Globally, coal mining likely peaked in 2023 according to the International Energy Agency. However, it continues to increase in some countries while decreasing in others, with expansions in India, China and Indonesia more than offsetting closures in the United States and the European Union (IEA 2023).

Spatial variability of transitions is compounded by temporal variability. In Australia, coal mining is being phased out in some parts of the country while in others it is expected to continue for decades, notably for metallurgical coal exports.

This year in May, CRC for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME) (led by the Research Director Professor Tom Measham) will host experts from around the world at the Global Coal Transitions network workshop, bringing together leading researchers working to support regions around the world experiencing transitions away from coal mining.

Objectives

Over two days, the workshop will combine individual presentations, panel discussions and interactive dialogues to share global and national lessons, challenges and opportunities. It will include:

Theoretical contributions
Insights from practice
Comparative analysis
Case studies from Australia and around the world.

The workshop will be held at the Sustainable Minerals Institute, located at The University of Queensland, St Lucia campus in Brisbane, Australia from 13 to 14 May 2025. It is part of the Global Coal Transitions Research Network, which is funded by the US National Science Foundation. Learn more about the research network here: https://u.osu.edu/globalcoal/