As the sun rises over Loos-en-Gohelle, its yellow rays gradually illuminate two great mounds on the edge of the former mining town. These hulking slag heaps, relics of the past, were created by what was once one of the largest coal mining regions in Europe. But while the industry vanished into thin air in the 1980s after over a century of coal production, this town in the north of France decided to keep the heaps, a byproduct of the extraction process, as a symbol of pride and its bold socio-ecological transition. “When the mines closed, it was a profound crisis,” says Antoine Reynaud, chief of staff at Loos town hall. “It was not only an economic crisis, but also an identity crisis. When they closed, people said to themselves: ‘What is our use now?’” By 2021, enough solar panels had been installed on municipal buildings at Loos-en-Gohelle to power 90 percent of public energy needs. Photo courtesy of Loos-en-Gohelle City Hall The town of 7,000 people went on to defy the odds, resisting the post-industrial collapses suffered by many mining hubs across Europe. In doing so, Loos’ democratic, inclusive and collaborative approach has become a model for how to transition an economy away from fossil fuels at a time when nations worldwide face an urgent need to shift away from carbon-based industries. Faced with the existential challenge of the mine closures, Marcel Caron, the mayor at the time, plotted a new future for Loos-en-Gohelle. Unlike other northern French coalfield authorities, which wanted to revamp their image and erase their taboo mining heritage, Loos-en-Gohelle instead embraced this past while putting locals at the heart of its stellar transformation. Today, Loos’ galaxy of projects span clean energy, sustainable agriculture, water and land-use systems, biodiversity protection, cultural integration and beyond. The slag heaps have been turned into a site for paragliding, art made by residents and a thriving nature reserve home to natterjack toads, peregrine falcons and swallowtail butterflies. One initiative allows residents to propose community projects and receive assistance from the municipality if they help manage it. Photo courtesy of Loos-en-Gohelle City Hall The old mining headquarters, meanwhile, have been converted into an eco-park hosting nonprofits committed to sustainable development. Fruit bushes have been planted in the town center, managed by the inhabitants, which are linked to a “green belt” of car-free paths allowing people to cross the town without vehicles. Downtown is filled with vibrant independent businesses supported by a community currency. The roof of the Saint-Vaast Church, like many municipal buildings, is covered in solar panels.  This transformation, which put citizen participation at its heart throughout the decision-making, took decades. It was not straightforward either: The model represented a massive break with the past, since during the former era everything from transport to health, housing and leisure was paternalistically controlled by mining companies. “Caron wanted to create a new imaginary for Loos, a new identity, one where there was pride in being a Gohelliade,” explains Reynaud. Mayor Caron, who was in power from 1977 to 2001 and whose motto was “transform without forgetting your roots,” first set about rebuilding a sense of community and identity. In 1984, he launched the annual Gohelliades Festival, encouraging locals to go on stage and recount their histories alongside traditional dances, exhibitions and feasts. Caron’s aim was not to praise the coal mines, which had clearly negative effects on workers and the environment, but to recognize the history of inhabitants. To catalyze real change, Caron argued, people must be engaged on an emotional level: Rationality alone wouldn’t be enough to tackle complex issues like climate change. Events such as the Fête de l’Agriculture Paysanne (Agriculture Festival) help unite the community. Photo courtesy of Loos-en-Gohelle City Hall From there on, all urban projects became centered on citizens. When Caron’s time in office came to an end in 2001, his son, Jean-François, took over and brought an even stronger ecologist approach. The latter also held over 50 meetings with the public every year, encouraging open discussion. “[The amount of meetings he held] was enormous,” says Daniel Florentin, an expert in ecological transition projects for public policy at France’s National School of Bridges and Roads. “It showed a way for elected officials to be reachable and accessible, to lower the level of frustration in public meetings. And it really worked.” Weighed down by negative news? Our smart, bright, weekly newsletter is the uplift you’ve been looking for. [contact-form-7] Among other policies was the drawing up, in collaboration with inhabitants, of the Living Environment Charter, which outlined major issues that they would address such as urban transit, water resources, energy, household waste and risks such as mining subsistence. Another was the so-called “50/50” dispositive, which allows residents to propose projects for the town and in turn receive financial and technical assistance from the municipality if they take a leading or joint role in managing it. One project, Mine de Soleil (Sun Mine), was set up to increase use of solar in Loos-en-Gohelle. Jean-Luc Mathé, part of a committee of citizens created to develop the plans, says members were involved in all of the process, from the choice of name to the fundraising, selection of the panel supplier and communication about the project. About a dozen residents are part of the committee, including school teachers, business owners and Mathé, a retiree. The first meetings began in 2018, and by 2021 about 2,600 square meters of solar panels had been installed on municipal buildings, enough to power 90 percent of public energy needs. The panels generate around €50,000 (approximately $60,000) worth of energy a year and, while this was initially sold, it now is mostly provided to residents. “It made us become actors, not just critics,” says Mathé. “It takes a lot more time, working with citizens, but it is a much better system.” And that system has proved hugely popular. Jean-François Caron has won massive support for his inclusive, ecological policies, earning re-election since 2001 — with scores of up to 82 percent of the vote when facing an opponent, or indeed sometimes running unchallenged. Environmental sustainability is at the heart of Loos-en-Gohelle’s community events. Photo courtesy of Loos-en-Gohelle City Hall While Loos is a working-class town not immune to poverty, economic indicators show the benefits of the model. The unemployment rate was 13.7 percent in 2022 — higher than the national average but lower than other towns in the north of France, such as Bethune (18.2 percent), Calais (22.8 percent), Lens (23.6 percent) and Roubaix (26.4 percent). What’s more, some argue that Loos’ progress can’t be purely measured by standard monetary indicators. The inhabitants feel a strong “attachment” to the town and a sense of pride thanks to the efforts to create a vibrant community, a study by Professor Florentin in 2021 found. “What they achieved was a transformation of behavior,” says Florentin. “We found that participation is not only done by the elderly and rich, but [also by] young people and people on low income.” Loos’ success is even drawing outsiders while other areas suffer population declines. Loic Haegeman moved there 18 years ago after a brief visit led him to fall in love with the place. Today the 37-year-old is manager of the restaurant Le Chantilly, and in 2024 he became a municipal councilor with a focus on festivals and ceremonies. “When I visited I knew I would move here if I had the opportunity,” says Haegeman, amid a boisterous lunch service. “This place isn’t just a dormitory town. Everyone knows each other. Everyone says hello. It’s got the spirit of a village.” Over the years, this bold, citizen-powered transition in Loos-en-Gohelle has garnered accolades, welcomed researchers and even led others to try to replicate it. Wait, you're not a member yet? Join the Reasons to be Cheerful community by supporting our nonprofit publication and giving what you can. Join Cancel anytime In 2012, the Loos-en-Gohelle mining basin was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site — alongside the pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China. In 2015, then-President François Hollande chose to bring a delegation of leaders to Loos as France hosted the COP21 climate conference. Around that time, the town also signed a partnership agreement with the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), which named it a “national demonstrator for driving change towards sustainable cities” — meaning that Loos receives funding to do its work and share learnings with others. “We started to be recognized as a laboratory,” says Reynaud. In 2020, Loos decided to spread its model more intentionally, with the founding of La Fabrique des Transitions, or the Transitions Factory, an organization that aims to roll out its methods nationwide. In 2024, it supported eight pilot areas in France to define and implement transition projects, running group sessions and providing technical advice. ‘It’s got the spirit of a village,’ says one Loos-en-Gohelle resident, who fell in love with the town on a visit and later relocated there. Photo courtesy of Loos-en-Gohelle City Hall This citizen-centered scale up could be significant for France’s climate transition. Recent French history shows the risks of attempting to transition without everyone on board. The gilets jaunes, or yellow vests, movement began as a backlash against fuel taxes linked to climate policy and led to massive, nationwide protests from 2018 to 2020. “The goal is to spread to the national level,” says Florentin. “To create a form of doctrine, an alternative model of development, that centers on social and ecological transition at the same time.” The post A Coal Town Reborn appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.