Environmental Policies
#37Key Findings
With emissions policy remaining a particular weak point, Poland falls into the bottom ranks internationally (rank 37) with regard to environmental policy. Its score on this measure has declined by 0.7 points relative to 2014.
The government’s climate strategy has focused on a reduction in the use of coal in electricity production from 70% today to 50% by 2030. A deal was struck with trade unions to phase out coal power by 2049, but details remain open.
Renewable-energy targets have been met largely via accounting devices. Strong fossil-fuel use and wood burning produces substantial air pollution, which increased health problems for COVID-19 patients. A national program prioritizes separate waste collection and recycling, but landfill remains the dominant form of waste management. Biodiversity is threatened by rapid infrastructure development.
Poland opposed the European Commission’s Green Deal. In collaboration with Estonia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, it blocked a declaration to achieve environmental neutrality by 2050.
The government’s climate strategy has focused on a reduction in the use of coal in electricity production from 70% today to 50% by 2030. A deal was struck with trade unions to phase out coal power by 2049, but details remain open.
Renewable-energy targets have been met largely via accounting devices. Strong fossil-fuel use and wood burning produces substantial air pollution, which increased health problems for COVID-19 patients. A national program prioritizes separate waste collection and recycling, but landfill remains the dominant form of waste management. Biodiversity is threatened by rapid infrastructure development.
Poland opposed the European Commission’s Green Deal. In collaboration with Estonia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, it blocked a declaration to achieve environmental neutrality by 2050.
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How effectively does environmental policy in your country protect and preserve the sustainability of natural resources and environmental quality?
10
9
9
Environmental policy goals are ambitious and effectively implemented as well as monitored within and across most relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
8
7
6
7
6
Environmental policy goals are mainly ambitious and effectively implemented and are monitored within and across some of the relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
5
4
3
4
3
Environmental policy goals are neither particularly ambitious nor are they effectively implemented and coordinated across relevant policy sectors.
2
1
1
Environmental concerns have been largely abandoned.
Poland has enshrined the principle of sustainable development in Article 5 of its constitution and has broadly adopted EU environmental standards. However, the conviction that economic growth should be given priority over the protection of the environment changes is still very strong. All governments have been keen on protecting the domestic coal industry, which is a large employer and reduces the country’s dependence on Russian energy.
For some time, however, the question of how to reduce CO2 emissions has gained prominence in public debates. Following the 2019 parliamentary elections, the government developed a new climate strategy which has called for a reduction of the share of coal in electricity production from 70% today to 50% by 2030 and a concomitant increase in the share of renewables (European Parliamentary Research Service 2021). In 2021, the government eventually succeeded in reaching an agreement with the trade unions to phase out coal power by 2049. However, many details remain open. The government has managed to achieve the targeted share of renewables only by accounting tricks (Wiejski 2022).
The strong reliance on fossil energy as well as on wood burning has kept environmental pollution high. The heavy air pollution has increased health problems for many infected persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has been in conflict with the European Union and the Czech government over the lignite mine in Turow (Harper 2021). The Czech side – worried about the consequences for water levels, dust and noise – sued Poland at the Court of Justice of the European Union. Poland lost a preliminary verdict on the case and has been fined €500,000 per day since September 2021 because Warsaw refuses to shut down the mine until a final verdict is issued.
Resource productivity has been low. While the updated National Waste Management Program prioritizes separate collection and recycling, landfill has remained the dominant form of waste treatment. Municipalities often lack the power or incentives to enforce waste legislation. In addition, Poland imports waste, especially from Germany (70% of all imports), as well as from the United Kingdom, Italy and Austria. Often it arrives under false labels and is neither recycled nor disposed of adequately (Bronska 2021).
While Poland has made some progress with drawing up plans for managing Natura 2000 sites, the protection of biodiversity has not featured very prominently on the government agenda. Biodiversity is threatened by the rapid development of infrastructure (e.g., roads), the regulation of rivers for navigation, flood defenses and intensive agriculture.
Citations:
Bronska, J. (2021): Poland’s growing problem with illegal European waste, Deutsche Welle, January 18 (https://www.dw.com/en/polands-growing-problem-with-illegal-european-waste/a-55957224).
European Parliamentary Research Service (2021): Climate Action in Poland: Latest State of Play. Strasbourg: European Parliament (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2021/698766/EPRS_BRI(2021)698766_EN.pdf).
Harper, J. (2021): Fear and loathing at Poland’s Turow coal mine, Deutsche Welle, September 28 (https://www.dw.com/en/fear-and-loathing-at-polands-turow-coal-mine/a-59324808).
Wiejski, P. (2022): The accounting trick behind Poland meeting its EU renewable energy target, in: Notes from Poland, January 25 (https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/01/25/the-accounting-trick-behind-poland-meeting-its-eu-renewable-energy-target/).
For some time, however, the question of how to reduce CO2 emissions has gained prominence in public debates. Following the 2019 parliamentary elections, the government developed a new climate strategy which has called for a reduction of the share of coal in electricity production from 70% today to 50% by 2030 and a concomitant increase in the share of renewables (European Parliamentary Research Service 2021). In 2021, the government eventually succeeded in reaching an agreement with the trade unions to phase out coal power by 2049. However, many details remain open. The government has managed to achieve the targeted share of renewables only by accounting tricks (Wiejski 2022).
The strong reliance on fossil energy as well as on wood burning has kept environmental pollution high. The heavy air pollution has increased health problems for many infected persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has been in conflict with the European Union and the Czech government over the lignite mine in Turow (Harper 2021). The Czech side – worried about the consequences for water levels, dust and noise – sued Poland at the Court of Justice of the European Union. Poland lost a preliminary verdict on the case and has been fined €500,000 per day since September 2021 because Warsaw refuses to shut down the mine until a final verdict is issued.
Resource productivity has been low. While the updated National Waste Management Program prioritizes separate collection and recycling, landfill has remained the dominant form of waste treatment. Municipalities often lack the power or incentives to enforce waste legislation. In addition, Poland imports waste, especially from Germany (70% of all imports), as well as from the United Kingdom, Italy and Austria. Often it arrives under false labels and is neither recycled nor disposed of adequately (Bronska 2021).
While Poland has made some progress with drawing up plans for managing Natura 2000 sites, the protection of biodiversity has not featured very prominently on the government agenda. Biodiversity is threatened by the rapid development of infrastructure (e.g., roads), the regulation of rivers for navigation, flood defenses and intensive agriculture.
Citations:
Bronska, J. (2021): Poland’s growing problem with illegal European waste, Deutsche Welle, January 18 (https://www.dw.com/en/polands-growing-problem-with-illegal-european-waste/a-55957224).
European Parliamentary Research Service (2021): Climate Action in Poland: Latest State of Play. Strasbourg: European Parliament (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2021/698766/EPRS_BRI(2021)698766_EN.pdf).
Harper, J. (2021): Fear and loathing at Poland’s Turow coal mine, Deutsche Welle, September 28 (https://www.dw.com/en/fear-and-loathing-at-polands-turow-coal-mine/a-59324808).
Wiejski, P. (2022): The accounting trick behind Poland meeting its EU renewable energy target, in: Notes from Poland, January 25 (https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/01/25/the-accounting-trick-behind-poland-meeting-its-eu-renewable-energy-target/).
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To what extent does the government actively contribute to the design and advancement of global environmental protection regimes?
10
9
9
The government actively contributes to international efforts to design and advance global environmental protection regimes. In most cases, it demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, contributes to their being advanced and has introduced appropriate reforms.
8
7
6
7
6
The government contributes to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes. It demonstrates commitment to existing regimes and occasionally contributes to their being advanced and/or has introduced some appropriate reforms.
5
4
3
4
3
The government demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, but does not contribute to their being advanced and has not introduced appropriate reforms.
2
1
1
The government does not contribute to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes.
Poland has signed the Paris Climate Agreement and has committed itself to phasing out coal power in line with Glasgow Summit agreement in November 2021. Poland has hosted several high-level conferences on climate change in the past. Within the European Union, the primary focus of Poland’s environmental policies is somewhat restrictive. It has opposed the von der Leyen European Commission’s Green Deal, and along with Estonia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, blocked a declaration to achieve environmental neutrality by 2050. Some initiatives have been brought forward under the Visegrad cooperation framework, such as a November 2021 joint declaration stating that the four Visegrad countries plan to collaborate further to achieve climate neutrality and engage together in the construction of new nuclear energy plants.