Poland

The base year for Poland under the UN Climate Change Convention is 1988 rather than 1990. In general, parties with economies in transition were allowed to choose a base year other than 1990. For Poland, 1988 was the last year of the relatively normal functioning of the economy before the crisis, when GHG emission levels were at their highest level. The EU-wide goal of cutting emissions by 20% from 1990 levels by 2020 translates into a national target for Poland’s non-EU-ETS sectors of up to a 14% increase by 2020 compared to 2005. In 2012 total emissions were at the same level as in 2005.

Poland has reduced its GHG emissions substantially since its economic transformation started in 1990. As elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, the economic collapse of the former Soviet bloc resulted in a considerable drop in domestic and foreign demand for the country’s very energy- and carbon-intensive products. As a result of the structural shift towards less energy-intensive sectors, the country’s overall GHG emissions fell by around 24% between 1988, the base year, and 1994. The Polish success in decoupling economic growth from GHG emissions is higher than the European average. The country’s GDP grew by more than 200% between 1988 and 2012 while emissions fell by around 31%. Poland is also on track to meet the EU 2020 target for the sectors not included in the EU-ETS, primarily the residential, transportation and agriculture sectors as well as to meet the 15% RES target.

Poland has no single separate policy document setting a comprehensive climate change strategy. The “Climate Policy of Poland: Strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Poland until 2020” was developed by the Environment Ministry and adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2003, but this Strategy became outdated and is no longer in force.

Instead, climate policy is established in a number of different laws and policies. The Minister of the Environment is responsible for the implementation of climate policies and approves the programme of the State Environmental Monitoring System, which is co-ordinated, pursuant to the Act on the Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, by the Chief Inspector for Environmental Protection. The Minister engages the research and development institutes which are subordinated to him in implementing Poland’s tasks under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. They include primarily the Institute of Environmental Protection (IOŚ-PIB), the Forest Research Institute (IBL), and the Institute of Meteorology and Waster Management (IMGW-PIB). At the national level, the following Ministers are also responsible for the introduction of the national climate policy into sectoral policies: the Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Areas, and the Minister of Infrastructure and Development. In 2013, the Council of Ministers appointed the Plenipotentiary for Climate Policy at the level of Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Environment.

Poland put in place a national development system, with nine integrated development strategies. Two are directly linked to climate change: the “Strategy for Economic Innovation and Effectiveness” (2012-2020), adopted in 2013, and the “Strategy for Energy Security and Environment” (ESE), adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2014. The key strategy document dealing with energy and environment is the “Strategy for Energy Security and Environment”, adopted in April 2014, which identifies key priorities for environmental policy by 2020.

The country’s energy policy strategy, outlined in Energy Policy of Poland until 2030 (EPP 2030), issued by the Ministry of Economy in 2009, is mostly focused on improving energy security, efficiency and competitiveness. It implies a small reduction in overall GHG emissions by 2020, and a 4% increase between 2020 and 2030. The document presents a sectoral strategy aiming to address the key challenges that the Polish power industry faces until 2030, including growing demand for energy, inadequate fuel, energy generation and transmission infrastructure, significant dependence on external supplies of natural gas and almost complete dependence on external supplies of crude oil, as well as commitments in the field of environmental protection, including climate protection. The new Energy Policy for Poland until 2050, which will reflect the decisions made on the EU 2030 climate policy, is under preparation.

Energy supply

According to the 2009 energy strategy document (EPP 2030), energy supply should consist of a mix between cogeneration, renewables, grid modernisation, and nuclear. With this end, the EPP establishes measurable targets, for example: increase the percentage of renewable energy sources to 15% by 2020 and to 20% by 2030; boost the share of biofuels in transportation fuels to 10%; and build at least one biogas agricultural plant in each commune by 2020.

However, with respect to energy generation, coal remains the dominant source of fuel, while renewables remain at low levels. The share of renewable energy sources in final energy consumption was 10.4% in 2011. Poland must make a considerable effort to ensure continuous growth of the sector to reach renewable energy targets for 2020.

In April 2014, Council of Ministers adopted a long-awaited draft law that lays out long-term subsidies for renewable energy. The draft of the act will implement the provisions of the EU Directive on promoting the use of renewable energy into Polish law. The level of support will differ depending on the source of renewable energy. The draft has been forwarded to Parliament and is at the final stage of deliberations.

Energy demand

Energy efficiency is a priority in Poland’s energy policy. The 2009 Energy Policy of Poland until 2030 (EPP 2030) strategy document establishes a number of measures addressing energy demand, including national energy efficiency targets, energy efficiency performance certificates, minimum standards for power-consuming products, supporting investments in energy saving, and applying demand-side management techniques.

In 2011 the government issued an Energy Efficiency Law, introducing the system of white certificates as support scheme. Following the obligations assumed through this act, as well as the obligations established by the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive and Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the Polish government has to prepare its National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (EEAP). Poland’s second EEAP, issued in 2012, includes measures to improve energy efficiency, focusing on energy end-use efficiency, and calculations concerning energy savings achieved in 2008-2009 and expected in 2016. It shows the energy savings achieved in 2009 (top-down) and expected in 2016 (top-down and bottom-up).

The Strategy for Energy Security and Environment (ESE) identifies key reforms and necessary steps for cleaner energy and to safeguard the security of energy supply up to 2020. The key objectives include sustainable management of the environment through measures like water management, preservation of biodiversity and effective management of mineral resources. The policy strives to ensure competitive energy supply through measures such as better use of domestic energy resources, improved energy efficiency and modernisation of power industry including development of nuclear power. The government estimates that modernisation of the power sector will cut CO₂ emissions by 0.4% annually. The policy document also calls for measures to reduce air pollution, cut industrial sector water use and manage waste better. The government will work towards carbon capture and storage solutions and gasification of coal, which is expected to remain the main source of energy.

Carbon pricing

The restructuring of the Polish economy in the 1990s focused on reducing the impact of the national economy on the environment and decoupling its GDP growth from GHG emissions. Presently, GHG emissions are below the target established under the Kyoto Protocol and Poland has a surplus of 500m of Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) in the period 2008-2012, the third largest after Russia and Ukraine.

In 2008 Poland became eligible to engage in international emissions trading, including trading of AAUs. The Act on Management of GHG Emissions and Other Substances came into force in 2009 and defines operational rules of the National Green Investment Scheme (GIS). It also addresses the use of proceeds from the transactions on hard and soft greening, and the mechanisms for monitoring, reporting and verification. The Act establishes that the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management is the operating entity for the GIS.

A number of programmes are already being implemented within GIS. Energy management in public buildings (GIS grant budget of PLN650m, USD193m); agricultural biogas plants (PLN50m, USD14.9m); biomass combined heat and power stations (PLN25m, USD7.4m); construction, extension and conversion of electricity networks to enable the connection of wind energy generation sources (PLN80m, USD23.8m); energy-efficient street lightning (PLN120m, USD35.8m); and low-emission urban transportation (PLN40m, USD11.9m).

Transportation

The EPP 2030 strategy document establishes the need to gradually increase the share of biofuel in transportation fuels. As a result, the government established differentiated fuel taxes to promote alternative fuels. In 2013 the fuel fees charged to producers or importers of motor fuel were differentiated (PLN103.16, USD30.69) per 1,000 litre petrol; PLN259.92 per 1,000 litre diesel (USD77.34); PLN133.10, USD39.60 per 1,000kg gas). Another measure has been to incentivise the use of rail transport, including the introduction of integrated rail, tramway and bus tickets for selected routes. Regions and cities (Warsaw, Gdansk-Sopot-Gdynia) have introduced integrated ticketing systems and park & ride systems. The public transportation stock was upgraded through the purchase of modern, low- or zero-emission buses, trams and city trains. In addition, a biofuel quota was implemented through the 2006 Act on Biocomponents and Liquid Biofuels as a way to increase the share of biofuels in transport fuels.

Adaptation

The basic national strategic document is the Strategic Adaptation Plan for Sectors and Areas Sensitive to Climate Change up to 2020 (SAP 2020). The SAP 2020 was adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2013, and is in line with the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change. It requires a horizontal approach and an account of the risks posed by climate change, as indicated in the Risk Assessment on Crisis Management, Report on Threats to National Security. The SAP 2020 foresees the mainstreaming of the adaptation programme into sectoral policies, primarily those related to agriculture and forestry, biodiversity, ecosystems and water resources, coastal zones, infrastructure and, subsequently, the preparation of a draft programme for their implementation.

Climate change adaptation is also being mainstreamed into the implementation of the relevant national and sectoral development strategies and policies: the Long-term Development Strategy by 2030; the Medium-term National Development Strategy by 2020; the National Spatial Management Conception by 2030; the Strategy for Economy Innovation and Effectiveness; the Human Capital Development Strategy; Energy Security and Environment Strategy; the National Strategy of Regional Development 2010–2020 for regions, cities and rural areas; the Transport Development Strategy by 2020; the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Rural Areas, Agriculture and Fisheries; the Effective State Strategy 2011–2020; the Social Capital Strategy; and the National Urban Policy.

Flood management is seen as a priority mainly in two strategies – the Energy Security and Environment Strategy and the Sustainable Development of Rural Areas, Agriculture and Fisheries Strategy.