Coal Phaseout and Local Jobs

The British coal industry experienced a rapid dissolution after March ’85 (the end of the miners’ strike). The concentration of the coal industry in specific areas has made the decline in coal employment especially difficult for places that previously relied heavily on this industry for jobs.

Although it is evident that many local labour markets (LLMs) suffered greatly from the decline of coal employment, what is known about the high-profile areas of post-coal decay doesn’t necessarily reflect the situation in other areas. And if there are instances of significant employment growth, an important and not thoroughly researched query is identifying the characteristics of these areas.

Motivated by this context, we want to answer the following questions:

• What are the labour market consequences of coal phaseout for LLMs in Great Britain? (As the last coal mine in Northern Ireland was closed in 1968, our evidence pertains to England, Scotland and Wales).
• Are there sizable differences in total employment growth across the affected LLMs?
• And if there is spatial heterogeneity, what makes some LLMs more likely to experience high-employment growth? In particular, how is the probability of employment recovery influenced by the initial level of human capital possessed by residents?

So far, we have provided a preliminary descriptive account of the differences in employment growth across space after 1985. Our evidence indicates that total employment recovered in many instances between 1985 and 2023, even exceeding levels from 1984, despite the decline in coal jobs. Altogether, 57% of affected LLMs experienced positive employment growth; 35% experienced growth faster than the mean for Great Britain. This evidence indicates that many affected LLMs adapted to the negative impact of the coal phaseout.

During the period of the internship, we will gather additional data and substantially broaden the scope of the preliminary analysis.

The student will be responsible for the construction of the dataset, by merging several new variables from different sources of data. They will also help with the regression analysis of the data using Stata/R, writing of a first draft, preparation of presentation slides.

• Working with a larger team of researchers – The project is coauthored with Daniela Sonedda (Insubria, visiting fellow at Essex). Zhexin Feng (Essex post-doc) may also get involved (TBC).
• Practice in academic writing, training in research methods
• Networking and dissemination – We will present at key conferences in the field, attended by leading experts, which represent a great opportunity to disseminate findings. A project workshop will be held at KCL with non-academic stakeholders to disseminate the project outcomes. The workshop’s main goal is to encourage the exchange of knowledge and enhance networking, among participants from academia and policymaking. We will extend invitations to officials of UK government and local authorities in the 54 affected areas, and journalists working on “levelling- up”, “hitting net-zero” and “just transition” issues. Given that the workshop pertains to current and high-profile aspects of these issues (All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coalfield Communities, 2023), we are optimistic it can generate significant interest, making it an effective means of disseminating this research. Furthermore, the workshop will serve as a foundation for shaping the future research agenda. We will meet officials at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Department for Education (DfE), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), officials of local authorities in the 54 affected areas, business’ associations, and journalists. We will write up a less technical version of our results to be distributed outside of the academic community (The Conversation), focusing on the implications for labour, regional and climate policy.
• Potential for publication – We are open to discuss co-authorship. Target journals for publication: American Economic Review Insights, Review of Economics and Statistics/Economic Journal (short paper); Journal of Urban Economics Insights

Some expertise and experience related to the tasks discussed above in part 8 would help. The student will receive training in research methods, as appropriate.

Report, video.

1. Please send your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your interest and suitability to the project supervisor(s). Please contact the project supervisor(s) in advance of submitting the application with any questions.

2. If selected by the project supervisor

• LISS DTP students must then complete the LISS DTP Placement /Internship Application form. This ensures that there is approval of PhD supervisor, and the necessary information is obtained to extend funding (for DTP1 students) or confirm placement requirement fulfilled (for DTP2 students), and to fulfil ESRC reporting obligations. LISS DTP approval must be given before the RA internship can commence.
• Other ESRC-funded DTP students should follow the internship application processes from their home DTP.

Please note for LISS DTP students:

• Research Assistant Internships must not be undertaken with the student’s current supervisor and/or home department.
• DTP1 students (those whose funding commenced before Oct24): a maximum of 4 Research Assistant internships will be funded. These will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the 4 DTP1 places are filled, we will inform PIs that only DTP2 students are eligible for the Research Assistant internships. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL DTP1 PLACES HAVE NOW BEEN FILLED.
• DTP2 students (those whose funding commenced from Oct24): are required to complete a 3-month placement, which is funded through their studentship. No limits to number that can be funded.
• Reports: at the conclusion of the internship, the student will be required to complete an internship report, which will include a question for the internship host to feedback on the internship.

Contact liss-dtp@kcl.ac.uk with any questions.