This report outlines structural changes (adjustments) in the coal sector of eight countries in different regions of the world over the last 50 years that resulted from a transition away from coal to other energy sources in those regions. The countries are chosen because they provide a rich set of experiences from which lessons can be learned to help governments prepare for and manage a transition away from coal. Coal sector adjustment received World Bank support in four of the countries: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Romania. Broader observations are provided on four other countries where the World Bank was not providing support: namely, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, where adjustment started in the 1960s
the United States, where employment adjustment started in the 1980s
and China, where adjustment started in the 1990s.