Rethink and Cooperate
Poland as Germany’s Energy and Climate Partner
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Poland’s dependency on fossil fuels for energy is higher than average. Up to 94 percent of the country’s electricity comes from coal. The mining and energy sectors are powerful pressure groups that block an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy supply. Ecological awareness in Poland is under-developed, climate policy hardly finds any acceptance. Critics warn of a vicious circle of backwardness. Restructuring for a low-carbon energy supply offers the chance for technological innovation, economic modernization, and access to new markets. The beginnings of a turnaround in energy and climate policy are there. This should be exploited – also in the EU. Energy policy ought to become a field of German-Polish cooperation.
(Osteuropa 5-6/2011, pp. 141–154)