Ambitious energy legislation to reduce the use of coal in private heating systems
The project is completed. It raised awareness of air and environmental pollution in Poland. The specific goal was to ban coal from private heating systems. The results can serve as an example for other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Buildings Energy Transition Energy Transition and Climate-Neutral Buildings
Project info
Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland
09/18 - 04/19
EU institutions, National governments, Civil society, General public
100,000.38 €
Contact info
Eleonora Arcese
- Environmental Association “Za Zemiata” - Friends Of The Earth Bulgaria
- Environmental Management and Law Association (EMLA)
Background
Poland is failing to comply with the directives on air pollution. One reason for this is the great dependence on coal and waste for heating in private households. More than 3.5 million Polish households still use outdated coal-fired heating systems. Reducing air pollution from heating systems is intended to accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gases, and thus combat climate change.
Project
The project disseminated the version of “coal-free spa and tourist towns”. It focussed on awareness-raising, capacity-building measures and legal advice (soft legal intervention).
The implementing organisation initiated a dialog of relevant stakeholders as part of the project. These include political decision makers, entrepreneurs, citizens, civil society organisations and media from Poland and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The project organises meetings, public debates and dialogues with experts. The project organized meetings, public debates and expert dialogues.
For this, the project built on the successful example of Krakow. ClientEarth worked with local authorities there in 2016 to achieve a court ban on solid fuels. This, along with a ban on coal-fired heating, was to be applied to other resort and tourist cities in Poland as part of the project. Both measures can contribute to better air pollution control in Poland, support in accelerating Poland’s exit from coal and achieve a just transition within the framework of the EU commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Last update: October 2024