Loos in Transition

About

Between the 1850s and 1980s, the coal mining industries were very active in the town and surrounding areas. The mining business left both environmental and social damage, the latter one characterized by a sharp rise in unemployment when the mines closed. Currently, two mining heaps, heaps 11 and 19, and part of the mining infrastructure remain on-site as a testimony of Loos-en-Gohelle’s mining past and proof of an important part of the history of industrial Europe. Since 2012, the mining heaps have been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After the closure of the mines in the 1980s, Loos-en-Gohelle had to reinvent itself. A political project was started in response to rising unemployment and a loss of identity, combining ecological, economic and social measures. An emphasis was put on democratic decision making, public debates, and community engagement in an attempt to counteract the paternalistic management tradition in the mines. [1;2]

Over time, individual measures and projects have grown into a robust overall development framework for the town, covering economic, social and ecological dimensions. A wide range of activities has been initiated and implemented, including, but not limited to, renewable energy generation, improving recycling technology, green renovation, and tourism activities. Green belts have been stimulated throughout the town, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy is promoted, as well as eco-construction of new buildings. There is a health and nutrition plan for local residents, and actions are undertaken to increase local biodiversity. In all activities, educating and informing the general public is an important aspect. Furthermore, the former mining heaps now are home to cultural organisations and an R&D centre focused on sustainable energy and green technologies. Part of this is a development centre for eco-companies, which houses over 600 ecological oriented companies, 150 of which operate in renewable energies. The town is also planning to construct an eco-district on part of the former mining wasteland. Through all these activities, Loos-en-Gohelle has a renewed identity with renewed ambitions. It has reinvented itself as a pilot city for sustainable development and aims to rely 100% on renewable energies by 2050. [1;2;3]

Governance

The transition of Loos-en-Gohelle was initiated by the town’s municipal government and is still coordinated by this local authority. [2] The political project has, among others, led to a new, cross-functional development unit in the town hall, called the Social and Citizen Development Unit. This unit is instructed to actively participate in projects and activities of other municipal entities to bring different policy fields in alignment with one another. [1]

Building and maintaining community engagement is an integral part of the political project. To achieve this, actions taken include, among others, the organisation of frequent public meetings and local fora and, in 2010, the implementation of an online collaborative space for citizens. Between 2018 and 2020, an evaluation was undertaken of how citizen participation can be further improved. [1;4]

Many projects are conducted through partnerships, either with the local community or with (inter)national organisations and networks. For example, in 2014, Loos-en-Gohelle engaged in collaboration with the Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME). In 2015 it became part of the network “100% Territoires à énergie positive” (100% positive energy communities), a network of communities who all aim to rely entirely on renewable energy by 2050. [1;2;3]

Business Model

The municipality provides financial resources for many activities. It draws on its own budget but also different subsidies from national and international funding programmes (e.g. from the French Environment and Energy Management Agency and EU ERDF-funding). Various partnerships and programmes are designed to stimulate co-investment from public and private sources. For example, a ’50-50 programme’ was implemented that allows community members and community organisations to submit a plan, which will be financed for 50% by the municipality. [1;2;5] Private investors are involved in the R&D centre on the mining heaps. [2]

In combining different goals, the municipality is also able to save money. For example, the roof of the town’s church needed to be renovated. By equipping it with solar panels, the municipality was able to draw on funding and save approximately €16.000 on renovation costs. Moreover, through sales of the energy generated through the solar panels, the municipality now earns approximately €5.000 a year (figures from 2019). [2]