16. Polish-German Environment Council
Today, Federal Environment Minister Peter Altmaier will meet with Polish colleague Marcin Korolec at the 16th Polish-German Environment Council. The key areas to be discussed at the meeting in Göhren-Lebbin (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) will include climate policy, sustainable energy supply and the environmentally sound development of border regions.
"Together we have achieved a lot in the area of environmental protection. Air pollution has decreased, illegal shipment of waste from Germany to Poland could be significantly reduced, together we are protecting critically endangered animal species and cooperation on flood protection has improved. Now we wish to strengthen our approach towards the construction of an environmentally sound energy supply," said Federal Environment Minister Altmaier.
Federal Environment Minister Altmaier stressed that an energy supply based on energy efficiency and renewable energies would in no way contravene economic growth and development. Germany and Poland are following different approaches for energy supply, however, various elements of the German energy system transformation could be attractive to Poland. In future it is intended that both countries exchange ideas regarding possibilities for improving energy efficiency and promoting renewable energies.
It is in this context that today the first steps will be taken towards the new Polish-German environment project of constructing a straw powered power plant for the generation of heat in the Polish village of Daszyna. The Federal Environment Ministry will provide funding for the project of around 2.7 million euros from the Environmental Innovation Programme for projects abroad. Subsequently, the contracts between the Federal Environment Ministry, the KfW banking group and Daszyna will be officially signed today afternoon at the meeting of the Polish-German Environmental Council.