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Data that local authorities plan the change with

  • Active
  • Since 2026
  • Regional transformation

The Transformation Area Observatory studies how the Bełchatów region is changing as it moves away from coal, and supports local authorities, companies and residents through that change. We run it with the Łódź Voivodeship and the Bełchatów technology park until the end of 2028.

Go to the programme site
Presentation on carbon footprint at the conference in Bełchatów

What the Observatory is

A region’s transition away from coal cannot be a matter of intuition. The Observatory gathers data on the economy, the labour market and energy in the 35 municipalities of the Transformation Area and turns it into decisions: reports, portals and the region’s strategy for 2028–2034.

The Łódź Voivodeship leads the project, with the Zone and the Bełchatów-Kleszczów Industrial and Technology Park as partners. We signed the partnership agreement on 20 February 2026 in Bełchatów; the work runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028. Five thematic observatories divide it between them: regional development, new energy, entrepreneurship, social dialogue and public health.

The Zone is responsible for entrepreneurship and economic cooperation: it will build the investment portal and the entrepreneurship portal, put together a portfolio of investment properties with the municipalities, and run business mixers, technology consultations and study visits to regions that have already been through a transition. The technology park carries out the analyses, and the Voivodeship coordinates the social dialogue and the meetings with residents. By 2028 there will be eight analytical reports and around a hundred events.

Speaker in front of a slide about the Bełchatów Power Plant

What you gain

The Observatory gives local authorities, companies and residents what a transition lacks most: current data, and a place to talk about it.

A round table full of people networking, the industrial interior of a hall behind them

  • Eight analytical reports on the economy, the labour market and energy in the Transformation Area. The basis for funding applications and for municipalities’ investment decisions.

  • With the municipalities, the Zone is building a portfolio of the region’s investment properties and presenting it to investors alongside the Zone’s own offer.

  • One place with information about support for people starting a company and for young companies from the region, the Zone’s projects included.

  • Companies from the region meet investors, suppliers and startups in the format the Zone has run for years at Fabryka Grohmana.

  • Local officials and entrepreneurs will see how coal regions in Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada went through the change.

The Observatory in numbers

2026–2028

  • PLN 21 millionthe project’s value
  • 5thematic observatories
  • 8analytical reports
  • 35municipalities of the Transformation Area
  • 3years of the project

Financed by the Just Transition Fund

The Observatory is financed by European Funds for Łódzkie 2021–2027 from the Just Transition Fund (measure FELD.09.07). The project is worth PLN 20,999,946.39: PLN 17,849,954.43 from the European Union and PLN 3,149,991.96 from the state budget, with 100% funding.

Funded by the European Union.

Frequently asked questions

  • For the local authorities, companies and residents of the 35 municipalities of the Transformation Area, and for the institutions planning investments and programmes there. The reports are public.

  • No. It is an analytical and advisory project. The entrepreneurship portal we are building within the project tells you about funding, as do the Zone’s project pages.

  • The Zone runs the entrepreneurship observatory: the investment portal, the entrepreneurship portal, the property portfolio built with local authorities, the business mixers, technology consultations and study visits.

  • The project leader publishes the reports and announcements at biznes.lodzkie.pl, and we cover each release in the Zone’s news.

  • Write to the Observatory team at the Zone, or submit the site through the form on the Zone’s website. The offer then goes into the database we show investors.

Questions about the Observatory? Write to the team

The project team at the Zone looks after the entrepreneurship part. Ask about the reports, the investment portal or how your municipality can take part.

Not sure who to call?

Call the hotline or go to the programme website.

The Zone’s hotline+48 42 208 06 00

The Observatory on biznes.lodzkie.pl

Other Zone projects

The Observatory is part of the Zone’s transition portfolio. See the other projects for the Bełchatów region.

  • Grant na start (Start-up Grant)

    Grants of up to PLN 550,000 and advisory for people starting a company and for companies from the Transformation Area.

    • Coming soon
    • Individuals and young companies
    • Transformation Area

  • Strefa Transformacji

    Training and retraining for residents of the 35 municipalities of the Bełchatów region, funded up to 93%.

    • Completed
    • Individuals
    • Transformation Area
    • Co-funded up to 93%

  • RozwoYou

    Vouchers for training, courses and advisory for companies, with funding of up to 85%.

    • Active
    • Companies and employers
    • Łódź Voivodeship
    • Co-funded up to 85%

See all projects