SOCIAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS PLANNED LIGNITE MINING - THE CASE OF SOUTH-WESTERN WIELKOPOLSKA REGION

Lignite is a raw material considered a strategic fuel in the Polish energy sector. One of the prognostic lignite deposits is located in the south-western Wielkopolska (Krobia, Miejska Gorka and Poniec communes). However, the perspective of exploitation causes concern to the local community. In this context, the paper aimed to identify the attitudes towards lignite mining in this area. In the research procedure aimed at statistical verification of factors differentiating these attitudes, a survey was conducted. The results of the study showed that the inhabitants of the analysed communes had indecisive attitudes, yet with a very clear tendency towards negative assessments of the subject issue. Farmers and rural residents were the most sceptical, while entrepreneurs, town dwellers and young people had the most conciliatory attitudes. Moreover, it has been proved that professional status, place of residence (town-village) and age can be considered as factors affecting these attitudes.