LEGAL BASES OF TRANSFORMATION OF COAL COMMUNITIES IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article examines the legal foundations of coal community transformation in Ukraine in the context of implementing the Just Transition policy and European integration. The key problems of legal regulation are identified, including the fragmented nature of the regulatory framework, the lack of a unified legislative approach to the closure of coal enterprises, the protection of workers’ rights and social security, as well as insufficient consideration of the environmental consequences of mine liquidation. Current legislative and program documents regulating the reform of the energy sector and the development of territorial communities are analyzed, particularly in the context of Ukraine’s international commitments in the field of decarbonization and climate policy. Special attention is paid to the socio-economic risks of transformation – rising unemployment, worsening demographic challenges, and increasing regional depression – which require the establishment of effective legal mechanisms to support workers and stimulate alternative economic activities. The necessity of developing a comprehensive legislative approach is substantiated, including legal guarantees of social protection, the development of new institutional forms of cooperation between the state and local communities, as well as the integration of environmental standards into the transformation process. It is concluded that building a coherent legal framework for the transformation of coal communities is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of regional sustainable development strategies, ensuring energy security, and fulfilling European standards of a Just Transition.