Minister Moskwa pointed out that the Federal Republic of Germany is an important partner of Poland as regards the energy and environmental issues. One of the major subjects raised during the meeting were the rising ETS costs and the consequent rises in the prices of energy in European markets.

According to the Head of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Anna Moskwa, Poland and Germany, although they have different economic potentials, face similar challenges related to the economic and social aspects of the energy transition.

In Poland, an enormous change is ahead of us, which, in the next 20 years, will result in an almost new power system. But the transition is not only energy, but also other sectors of the economy, inter alia, heating and transport

– she said.

Poland and the eastern Länder of Germany have similar challenges in district heating, and this issue was raised during the meeting.

Our objective is to carry out an effective and just energy transition which will not only increase respect for the environment and climate, but will also provide a stimulus to the economy, stimulate the domestic industry and launch innovation, while being socially acceptable. We must provide fair conditions for transformation in the regions which are most exposed to burdens related to transition. We were guided by such prerequisites when constructing the assumptions of the “Energy Policy of Poland until 2040”.

– she explained.

Minister Moskwa added that Poland – despite its difficult starting position when compared to other EU Member States – is gradually implementing the transition of the energy sector towards a low-emission economy and renewable energy sources will be an increasingly strong element of the energy balance – Poland has an opportunity to become the leading construction site for RES installations in the EU. It is estimated that the installed capacity of offshore wind farms will reach 5.9 GW in 2030 and 11 GW in 2040.

In the coming years, there will be a significant increase in the installed capacity in RES in Poland. In this context, the transitional role of natural gas and the development of energy storage will be of importance

– she informed.

In the opinion of the Minister for Climate and Environment, any EU policy tool, important for energy investments, must be based on the principle of technological neutrality and must fully respect the Member States’ right to decide on their energy mix.

Therefore, along with the robust development of RES, including offshore wind farms and photovoltaics, Poland chose the development of nuclear energy as one of the directions in its long-term energy strategy.

– she said.

Poland remains open to future cooperation with regard to the hydrogen economy and cross-border connections between the countries. We are also interested in cooperation with German partners as regards the development of investments in renewable energy sources

– she added.

During the talks with the Vice-Chancellor of Germany, Minister Anna Moskwa stressed that Poland supports the achievement of climate goals, but is opposed to solutions which may lead to a greater burden on society.

For many years, we have consistently stressed that the climate transition must be fair and may not deteriorate the economic conditions in specific regions or social groups. We should use the energy transition as an opportunity for the further development our economies and creation of new jobs, but without additional burdens for citizens

– she explained.

The Head of the Ministry of Climate and Environment also pointed out to the current, unprecedented crisis in the prices of energy.

In addition to immediate activities on the part of the Member States, we also need urgent activities at EU level – particularly with regard to the functioning of the gas market and the issue of high prices of ETS. The ETS must be reformed so as to eliminate financial speculation and ensure a fairer system to support low-emission investments

– she noted.

We should not also allow any producer to misuse its dominant position and to use gas supplies as a tool of political pressure. In the light of unfair practices and pressures, the EU must remain assertive and use all the instruments it has so as to ensure security of supply and full compliance with EU law.

– she stressed.