As Minister Kurtyka, underlined during the meetings, the publication of a package of 12 legal acts is a particularly important issue for Poland.

The Package is going to constitute the implementation architecture for the new EU objective 55% net until 2030. It is worth to note that we have agreed to increase the reduction objective under the condition of ensuring appropriate solutions in the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) and in the sectors outside of the trade system. European Commission must fulfil these promises, in particular with respect to introducing appropriate changes in the ETS.

– said the Minister during the visit to Brussels.

Minister also pointed out that the efforts Polish Government aim to reap the largest possible pool of trading rights for Poland, which is going to increase national revenue and allow for greater investments in climate friendly activities. Poland has presented a number of propositions in that respect.

The discussion with Commissary Wojciechowski covered, among others, the issue of LULUCF regulation. As Minister pointed out, forests are the most important category of land in this sector.

As part of our strive to meet the environmental objectives, the selection of politics and means ensuring that the LULUCF sector is going to have the best possible effect to achieve them should be taken primarily at the level of each Member State. That is why it is important to sustain, or to increase, where possible, the potential of forests with respect to climate change mitigation, and the adjust forests for climate change

– he stressed.

He also added that sustainable forest management may contribute to reach the objectives by increasing the productivity of younger forest stands, and at the same time to increase the intensity of carbon dioxide sequestration, but also by increasing the resilience of forests and the existing carbon resources, thus offsetting the effects of extreme phenomena, i.e., forest fires, strong storms and biotic stress.

Only healthy forests may ensure the resources required to support sustainable circular bioeconomy and to perform a number of functions which must be sustainable

– said the Minister of Climate and Environment.

During the meetings, Minister Kurtyka pointed out that Poland is not going to be able to close the carbon intensive power plants and cogeneration power plants based on lignite without access to private funding and investments.

This is going to significantly delay our decarbonisation and limit the European Union’s ability to reach climate neutrality. The upcoming draft of a complementary delegated act is going to be presented as fast as possible. It is particularly important for the new delegated act to allow for sustainable financing of projects related to natural gas, at least in the transitional period

– he said.

Similarly in the case of nuclear energy, Minister Kurtyka stressed that is of key importance for Polish energy transition.

It is important for Poland to ensure that nuclear power qualifies for financing under the modernisation fund instead of being excluded due to the ETS reform

– he indicated.

During the meeting held with Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, the Minister also discussed the new objectives of the REDII directive.

European Commission should consider a rather brief time horizon until 2030 and specific sectoral aims

– he stressed.

He also added that:

In the case of an increase of the RES objective in transport, it should be possible to apply a mechanism for equalisation of the implementation of increased objectives, for instance by permitting to use intra-country statistical transfers between different national sectors covered by the target minimum shares in reserve.

The Minister also pointed out that renewable fuels, including hydrogen, are going to be required to replace fossil fuels.

The use of the existing assets, including gas infrastructure is of key significance to the development of hydrogen economy, in order to reduce emissions in a cost-effective manner, allowing for their effective use in all sectors. Poland sees the meaning of integrating hydrogen in gas networks, in particular through ensuring the financing for the modernisation of the existing infrastructure and single stage investments in new gas infrastructure adapted to hydrogen

– he said.

On the conclusions of the European Council within the context of European Council scheduled for May 24-25th with the Head of Cabinet of the President of the Council of Europe

As Minister Kurtyka stressed, the current proposition of the conclusions of the European Commission is a good basis for further works, which should aim to guarantee the implementation of the conclusions of December last year, among others, with respect to ERN.