The concept of sustainable development has crystallized gradually in the ninth decade of the last century, ecologists and environmental economists defining it, initially, as that form of society development based on both the use of renewable natural resources at rates below their regeneration capacity and the optimal use of non-renewable resources, taking into account their substitution provided by technological progress. Starting from this definition, in the present paper, we analyzed the situation of coal mining in Jiu Valley (more precisely from the perspective of mine closure) and implications on the "sustainable development" of this region. As it is known, the process of "restructuring" the mining sector in Jiu Valley region started in the 90s continues today, so that only two mines (Livezeni and Vulcan) are expected to remain in operation after 2018. As almost any discussion related to energy resources is associated with the concept of sustainable development, in the present paper, we analyzed from this perspective the situation in Jiu Valley. For this purpose we used one of the best known tools in the field for analizing a region from the point of view of its integration into the concept of sustainable development of the society, represented by the SWOT analysis (strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats). Although the sustainable development of a region implies a type of development that satisfies the needs of the present generation, without compromising the opportunities (chances) of the next generations to satisfy their own needs, we consider that the closure of the mining exploitations in Jiu Valley does not answer to either of the two desires.

coal mining, sustainable development, Jiu Valley, SWOT

environmental engineering

Presentation: oral