HEAL Poland joins roundtable discussions on health and climate

The threat pollution and climate change pose to human health took center stage at the expert-led “Climate for Health” debate held at the headquarters of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. The event was co-organized by the think tank Medical Ration of State and “Rzeczpospolita” newspaper in April, bringing together prominent health experts, representatives of the Polish Parliament, Ministries and civil society. HEAL Poland took an active role in the exchange. 

Poland remains one of the most polluted EU countries when it comes to air quality, and its energy production is still heavily based on fossil fuel burning, with over 60% of emissions from coal and lignite. Both air pollution and climate change threaten people’s health and generate high external health costs. 

The meeting’s purpose was to create platform dialogue between representatives of the medical community, scientists, civil society, business, renewable-energy focused entities and decision-makers.  Participants first outlined challenges, and then identified possible solutions that could be implemented by the new Polish government to protect public health and mitigate risks. Amongst the issues discussed in the meeting were more effective promotion and development of renewable energy sources, including large-scale photovoltaic farms, modern and efficient district heating, clean transportation, wind power, energy savings, energy efficiency, energy prosumers and the need for extensive public education. 

During the meeting Miłosz Motyka, Deputy Minister of Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment said: “We talk about the energy transition and renewable energy sources only in terms of the economic calculus, and not in terms of the environment and health”, assuring that this needs to change, and the energy transition is “absolutely necessary for our health”. Prof. Zbigniew Karaczun from the Polish Climate Coalition added:  “Climate protection brings benefits, not just costs. ️The time for talking is over, and the time for action has begun“.  

Weronika Michalak, HEAL Poland Director, stressed that when discussing the environmental pollution’s impact on health, climate change has to be considered: “The effects of pollution and climate change are interlinked, often having a common source, but completely different effects “, she said. She welcomed the Deputy Minister Motyka initiative in bridging health and the energy transition as a much-awaited new political approach by Poland’s ruling party to these challenges: “It’s encouraging to see the new readiness of policy-makers to listen to the concerns we’ve talked about for years” she concluded, offering the support of HEAL Poland to help assist the new government to implement ambitious environmental and climate policies.