Attitudes of rural residents towards changes in their living environment. The example of the Bełchatów Industrial District in the Łódź region, Poland

Abstract This study aimed to examine the attitudes of residents in municipalities within the Bełchatów Industrial District towards changes in their living environment in the context of the planned closure of a mining and energy complex. The studied area is located in the central part of Poland, it is an industrial center with the dominant mining and energy industries, and the main core is an openpit lignite mine. The study was conducted in 2024 in six municipalities in the study area, involving a group of 220 respondents (representing over 3% of the total population of the study area) and utilising a questionnaire. It was found that the social attitudes of the inhabitants of the Bełchatów Industrial District towards industry and transformation are twofold. On the one hand, there is a growing awareness of the need to move away from coal due to both economic and environmental factors. On the other, there is a visible attitude of fear related to job losses, youth migration, and the marginalisation of the region. Quite often, both respondents and local authorities adopt a passive attitude towards the upcoming changes. The authors conclude that residents should be empowered and involved in the process of implementing changes, enabling them to have a meaningful impact on the actions of local authorities and the transformation of their community.