Post by Poland - ECOSOC on Jan 13, 2010 15:09:23 GMT -5
ECOSOC
Renewable energy and water security
Perkiomen School
Poland
Poland is a country with a long history and used to have a good agricultural based environment. Since the Industrial Revolution, the emission of burning fossil energy has caused a serious problem with climate change and water scarcity. These problems are threatening the national security of Poland. Poland is facing the menace of diminishing agriculture and draining of natural resource. We also believe that we are not the only nation which is suffering from the energy crisis, climate change and water scarcity.
There are about 1 billion people worldwide who don’t have a stable source of drinkable water. Underground water draining causes the diminution of agriculture worldwide. Also, worldwide ecosystems are breaking under environmental pollution and overuse of water.
Poland believes that slowing down climate change and moving our economy to renewable energy is the mission to rescue our humanity and civilization. Poland has been a Party to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since 1994 and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on 13 December 2002. Poland regards the effort to slow down climate change as both individual and international responsibility.
Poland is a moderately developed country, but is among the poorest countries within the enlarged European Union. Mr. Lech Kaczynski, the President of the Republic of Poland, said that “As the more affluent countries want to strongly engage to protect the world’s climate, they must realize that the weaker countries need assistance in doing the same.” Even though Poland is the least developed country in EU and not as rich as most developed countries in the world, we still strongly support the idea in “21st Century Agenda” that calls on the international community to find a large number of new funds to help countries – particularly the least developed countries – to achieve sustainable development, which is called Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Polish development assistance undergoes constant increase. For instance, in 2004 Poland provided 137.3 million USD to support the developing centuries to develop renewable energy-based industry. Poland also provides funds for promoting technology development. In 2005 the Polish ODA increased to 204 million USD and in 2006 to 296 million USD.
Poland is doing an admirable job in reducing the consumption of fossil fuel, but also replacing it by renewable energy such as biogas. The Polish government has planned to construct 2000 new biogas plants with a total installed capacity of 2000-3000 MW before 2020. We tried to reduce water waste and to inspire the public to use water efficiently through education and media broadcasts. On another hand, The Polish government found that forests are very important in water protection and they also can become an ideal source of renewable energy. Nowadays, Polish forests cover are nearly 30%, and the Polish capital, Warsaw, is the highest forest covered metropolis in the world with 78% forest cover rate, which shows that Polish government has put a lot emphasis on environmental protection. Poland strongly supports UN’s documents “Forest Principle” and “21st Century Agenda” which provide a reliable approach to protect forest, water and reduce GHG emission.
At the regional level, Poland contributes actively to the process of developing the regional policy on forests by leading, along with Norway, Austria and Spain, which comprise the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forest in Europe (MCPFE). The MCPFE this year is going to be held in Warsaw. It expresses the highest consideration for forests as a prerequisite for sound environment and a part of sustainable development. The roles of forests in mitigating climate change, promoting wood as a renewable energy carrier as well as in protecting water quality and quantity, will constitute the foremost subjects of the Ministerial Declaration and two resolutions to be signed in Warsaw.
We believe that, separate, we are doomed; together, we are invincible.
Poland will first confront the same challenges that we all face- to take advantage of this opportunity for brightening the future without repeating the same ecological and economic mistakes of the past. We are waiting for the rest of the world to join us.
Renewable energy and water security
Perkiomen School
Poland
Poland is a country with a long history and used to have a good agricultural based environment. Since the Industrial Revolution, the emission of burning fossil energy has caused a serious problem with climate change and water scarcity. These problems are threatening the national security of Poland. Poland is facing the menace of diminishing agriculture and draining of natural resource. We also believe that we are not the only nation which is suffering from the energy crisis, climate change and water scarcity.
There are about 1 billion people worldwide who don’t have a stable source of drinkable water. Underground water draining causes the diminution of agriculture worldwide. Also, worldwide ecosystems are breaking under environmental pollution and overuse of water.
Poland believes that slowing down climate change and moving our economy to renewable energy is the mission to rescue our humanity and civilization. Poland has been a Party to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since 1994 and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on 13 December 2002. Poland regards the effort to slow down climate change as both individual and international responsibility.
Poland is a moderately developed country, but is among the poorest countries within the enlarged European Union. Mr. Lech Kaczynski, the President of the Republic of Poland, said that “As the more affluent countries want to strongly engage to protect the world’s climate, they must realize that the weaker countries need assistance in doing the same.” Even though Poland is the least developed country in EU and not as rich as most developed countries in the world, we still strongly support the idea in “21st Century Agenda” that calls on the international community to find a large number of new funds to help countries – particularly the least developed countries – to achieve sustainable development, which is called Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Polish development assistance undergoes constant increase. For instance, in 2004 Poland provided 137.3 million USD to support the developing centuries to develop renewable energy-based industry. Poland also provides funds for promoting technology development. In 2005 the Polish ODA increased to 204 million USD and in 2006 to 296 million USD.
Poland is doing an admirable job in reducing the consumption of fossil fuel, but also replacing it by renewable energy such as biogas. The Polish government has planned to construct 2000 new biogas plants with a total installed capacity of 2000-3000 MW before 2020. We tried to reduce water waste and to inspire the public to use water efficiently through education and media broadcasts. On another hand, The Polish government found that forests are very important in water protection and they also can become an ideal source of renewable energy. Nowadays, Polish forests cover are nearly 30%, and the Polish capital, Warsaw, is the highest forest covered metropolis in the world with 78% forest cover rate, which shows that Polish government has put a lot emphasis on environmental protection. Poland strongly supports UN’s documents “Forest Principle” and “21st Century Agenda” which provide a reliable approach to protect forest, water and reduce GHG emission.
At the regional level, Poland contributes actively to the process of developing the regional policy on forests by leading, along with Norway, Austria and Spain, which comprise the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forest in Europe (MCPFE). The MCPFE this year is going to be held in Warsaw. It expresses the highest consideration for forests as a prerequisite for sound environment and a part of sustainable development. The roles of forests in mitigating climate change, promoting wood as a renewable energy carrier as well as in protecting water quality and quantity, will constitute the foremost subjects of the Ministerial Declaration and two resolutions to be signed in Warsaw.
We believe that, separate, we are doomed; together, we are invincible.
Poland will first confront the same challenges that we all face- to take advantage of this opportunity for brightening the future without repeating the same ecological and economic mistakes of the past. We are waiting for the rest of the world to join us.