By Jeffrey Rissman and Robbie Orvis
Poland has the sixth-highest GDP (PPP) in the European Union (EU) (click here) and is an increasingly important player in the world economy, with growing domestic and international reasons to tackle pollution. Poland has the fifth-highest greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, behind only Germany, the UK, France, and Italy, and particulate pollution from fossil fuel combustion causes 45,000 deaths each year in Poland....
Poland’s significant use of coal, the dominant CO2-emitting fuel, creates many opportunities to reduce emissions. The falling costs of solar panels and wind turbines mean that Poland can make the transition to a low-carbon economy while saving money, as renewables have no fuel costs. Renewables also improve energy security by obviating the need to import gas or coal from Russia.
Recent news offers hope about Poland’s energy future. For example, PGE, the largest power company in Poland, announced plans to build over 1,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030.
Poland's Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Electricity and industry are responsible for the lion’s share of emissions in Poland, making up 38 and 41% of the country’s emissions, respectively. Even without ambitious, new policy, the power sector is expected to decarbonize somewhat as old, dirty coal plants are replaced by newer coal and gas plants, and as solar gains a foothold....
