Ambitious energy legislation to reduce the use of coal in private heating systems

Project content and measures

The project disseminates the version of ‘coal-free spa and tourist towns’, relying on awareness-raising and capacity-building measures. Legal advice (Soft Legal Intervention) is also part of the project work.

The implementing organisation ClientEarth initiates dialogue with relevant stakeholders within the framework of the project. These stakeholders include political decision makers, entrepreneurs, citizens, civil society organisations and media from Poland and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe (especially from Hungary and Bulgaria). The project organises meetings, public debates and dialogues with experts. By involving national stakeholders, the project also ensures a sustainable impact.

Banning coal from private heating systems shall reduce the air and environmental pollution in Poland. Picture: www.pixabay.com

To achieve this, the project builds on the successful example of Krakow, where ClientEarth cooperated with local authorities to achieve a legal ban on solid fuels in 2016. The implementing organisation wishes to transfer the model to other spa and tourist cities in Poland, such as Wadowice, Uniejów and Polanica-Zdrój. Possible measures could be bans on solid fuels and the use of coal in domestic heating systems. Both of these measures would contribute to better air pollution control in Poland. They would also help accelerate Poland’s exit from coal and achieve a fair structural change within the framework of the EU commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Background

Poland is currently 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 More than 3.5 million Polish households still use outdated coal-fired heating systems. Poland is currently 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 More than 3.5 million Polish households still use outdated coal-fired heating systems.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 should accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gases, thus combating climate change.