Mistral project

Rybnik in Poland

Poland is the largest hard coal and second largest lignite producer in the EU, generating around 80 percent of its electricity from coal. Resistance to a reduction in coal production and consumption comes from various actors, namely, coal corporations, unions, parts of civil society and the government – as well as their coalitions. It is an interesting country to study for two main reasons.
Firstly, it is the largest hard coal producer and second largest lignite producer in the EU. Unlike other main coal producers in the EU (e.g. the UK, Germany, Spain, etc.), Poland has not committed itself to end coal mining. Secondly, Poland does not only lag behind in its missing commitment to end coal and to reduce its energy dependence on coal as main energy carrier, but is also one of the main countries vetoing EU policies that aim to increase climate protection ambitions. The case study in Ribnick in Poland will be coordinated by the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow for Poland. Professor, Agnieszka Gruszecka-Kosowska, will lead the study as member of the AGH University .