Energy in the German-Polish relationship: acknowledging controversies - pursuing shared interests

Germany and Poland stand as examples of the differing interests of individual European Union (EU) member states in energy policy. However, both countries are crucial for filling an Energy Union with substance. Yet, progress in bilateral engagement has stalled, as controversies, for example over Nord Stream II, threaten to distract attention from other issues and avenues for energy cooperation. While acknowledging disagreements, the focus should be on identifying areas of agreement and opportunities for cooperation. Although the difficulty of resolving highly controversial issues is not to be discounted, addressing them will require taking steps to establish trust while designing programs and projects to transform the idea of solidarity from rhetoric into reality. (author's abstract

Between Reindustrialization and the Climate Change: Poland's Position Towards European Union's Climate Policy

W dobie światowego spowolnienia gospodarczego oraz europejskiego kryzysu zadłużeniowego coraz częściej pada pytanie o sens polityki klimatycznej UE. Wprowadzanie bowiem przez Unię istotnych ograniczeń na wykorzystanie paliw kopalnych oraz emisję CO2 wyraźnie wpływa na rozwój przemysłu. Polska, która od dawna opowiada się za bardziej realistycznymi celami redukcyjnymi, ma teraz szansę istotnie wpłynąć na debatę wewnątrz UE w tej kwestii. W artykule przedstawiono główne argumenty na rzecz zrównoważonego stanowiska wobec dyskutowanej obecnie polityki klimatyczno-energetycznej UE po 2020 r.In the era of the global economic slowdown and the European financial crisis, the sense of the EU climate policy has been questioned increasingly. New restrictions on the use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions, introduced by the EU, heavily affect the development of the European industry. Poland, which has long been advocating more realistic reduction targets, now has a chance to significantly influence the debate within the EU on this issue. The article presents main arguments in favour of a well-balanced approach towards the EU climate and energy policy after 2020