Bijeenkomst over Europees strategisch plan voor energietechnologie(en)

The Warsaw meeting on the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) began on 28th November - the same day as the 17th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, during which representatives of the world’s largest economies will be discussing the future of the Kyoto Protocol i limiting the world emission of CO2.

‘An important message is being sent from Warsaw to Durban,’ said Jerzy Buzek i, President of the European Parliament. ‘Climate protection is possible provided that we base the production of energy on advanced technological solutions,’ he added.

The SET-Plan defines European industrial initiatives that require special financial support from the EU. All of them require the utilisation of the latest state-of-the-art scientific and technological achievements.

‘I’m glad that science has such a significant place in the discussion. All the more so because we really want energy to be one the most important elements of the 8th EU Framework Programme, which is being compiled,’ said Prof. Maria Elzbieta Orlowska, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Waldemar Pawlak Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy emphasised the economic significance of the EU plan. ‘The government promotes the guidelines of the SET-plan. It is the field of energy where it is best visible that working out solutions of stable development prospects is crucial - said Mr. Pawlak.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said that it is necessary to redistribute accents and change over from a low-carbon economy to a low-emission economy. ‘We shouldn’t eliminate fossil fuels,’ said Pawlak. ‘Poland serves as a good example of this direction as we have managed to lower CO2 emissions and maintain economic growth at the same time,’ he added.

Both Deputy Prime Minister Pawlak and Prof. Orlowska emphasised the necessity to build a global agreement on the limitation of carbon dioxide emissions.

‘There is still a lot to be done on the political front. It is necessary to work out a joint international position because we will never be fully successful without cooperation,’ said the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

The Warsaw conference is another one in a series of European debates on the SET-Plan. This time, however, the discussion featuring Philip Lowe Director-General of the Energy DG - European Commission, EU politicians, experts, scientists, researchers and business people, will focus on the resources for the implementation of the plan’s principles. The Warsaw Declaration on the European financial involvement in research on energy technologies in 2014-2020 will also be signed. According to estimates of the European Commission, investments of about 8 billion euro a year for a 10-year period will ensure effective implementation of the SET-Plan. The anticipated increase in investment outlays on energy technology research (from 3 to 8 billion euro a year) can only be achieved by a simultaneous increase in capital participation from both public and private entities. ‘We don’t want to focus exclusively on the present crisis but we wish to project future solutions for the next dozen or so years which will ensure future development. Some of the objectives of new energy solutions are designed to push the whole economy forward,’ concluded Prof. Jerzy Buzek.