COP 24 - KATOWICE 2018

United Nati ons Climate Change Conference

COP24 is the informal name for the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The UNFCCC is a “Rio Convention”, one of three adopted at the “Rio Earth Summit”
in 1992. The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. Today, it has near-
universal membership. The countries that have ratified the Convention are called
Parties to the Convention. Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the
climate system is the ultimate aim of the UNFCCC. 
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme body of the UNFCCC
Convention. It consists of the representatives of the Parties to the Convention. It
holds its sessions every year. The COP takes decisions which are necessary to
ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of the Convention and regularly
reviews the implementation of these provisions.
In accordance with a decision of the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties
to the Climate Convention (COP22) in Marrakesh in November 2016, the successive
climate summit (COP24) was held in Poland. Poland was selected to host this event
within the framework of the Eastern European Group (EEG).
Poland held the Presidency of the Climate Convention for the fourth time.
COP24 conference took place from 2-16 December 2018 in Katowice, Poland.
The main goal of the COP24 summit was to adopt a package of implementing rules
for the Paris Agreement - Katowice Rulebook.

EXPECTED OUTCOME OF COP24

The main objective of the Polish Presidency at COP24 is to adopt a decision
ensuring full implementation of the Paris Agreement (the so-called implementation
package - the Katowice Rules). The implementation package will give the Paris
Agreement a realistic shape by setting out a path that each country will decide to
follow in terms of intensifying its climate protection efforts. To put it simply, "there is
no Paris Agreement without Katowice".
The ambition of the Polish Presidency is to adopt rules and tools that will create a
systemic solution for the whole world, replacing the point-based discussion on
fragmented objectives, which doesn’t allow for a comprehensive approach to all
important areas of emissions (such as transport, energy, buildings, agriculture),
removals balancing emissions (forests, soils), implementation measures (including
financing) and measures to adapt economies to expected changes in the future (the
so-called adaptation measures). The success of Katowice will be to make progress
in the mechanisms without which the Paris Agreement will not be able to function in
real terms.

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Apart from the implementation package, means the Katowice Rules, COP24 will host
two important events at the ministerial level. The first event constituting a financial
framework for climate protection will be the 3rd Ministerial Dialogue on Climate
Financing (according to Decision 3/CP.19), dedicated to assessing progress in
meeting the developed countries' commitment to mobilise USD 100 billion annually
by 2020.
The second event constituting a joint reflection on how the Parties should achieve
together the objectives of the Paris Agreement will be the Talanoa Dialogue. It will be
an opportunity for Poland to highlight its positive contribution to climate protection,
underlining the scale, importance and effectiveness of national policies, especially in
the areas of clean air, electromobility and increasing forest resources. It will also be
a forum to discuss the level of global ambition.

VISION
Measures to halt climate change
The measures to halt global warming are generally considered to be some of the
most important civilisational challenges and a prerequisite for the implementation of
the principles and objectives of sustainable development. The United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its annual Conferences
of the Parties (COPs), which constitute the main decision-making body of the
Convention, are the most important instrument of international cooperation in the
field of tackling the impacts of climate change.
Using its national actions as an example, Poland would like to show new sustainable
methods for taking care of the environment and combating climate change.

Highlighting Poland’s achievements in relation to climate change

The organisation of COP24 will provide an opportunity for convincing other countries
that Poland does not hamper the process of tackling dangerous climate change.
Moreover, Poland is one of the leaders of this process and climate policy is very
important for it. A good example of its involvement in this field is, among others, the
implementation of Poland’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Poland reduced
its CO2 emissions by 32% instead of the required 6%, while enjoying economic
growth at the same time.
The fact that Poland will preside for the fourth time over the negotiations under the
Climate Convention and that it will host its the Conference of the Parties for the third
time is also evidence to the great involvement of our country in actions to protect the
climate.
We would like to ensure that COP24 is a historic meeting of the representatives of
the world which will adopt decisions ensuring the full implementation of the Paris
Agreement and also other important decisions. On their basis, it will be possible to
jointly achieve the global objectives of the Paris Agreement, i.e. keeping the
temperature rise below 2°C and the global objective of adaptation to climate change.

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We are happy that our country can host again the United Nations Climate Change
Conference. We treat it as the recognition of our efforts taken to date. We are ready
to assume the role of a leader in this dialogue and to take an active part in the
development of solutions.

Continuation of the climate negotiations in the spirit of the Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement does not provide for decarbonisation, but for so-called climate
neutrality. This is a return to climate policy which is expected to protect the climate
and, at same time, enable the preservation of the specificity of national economies –
this is particularly important for Poland.
Poland’s objective is to maintain the global character of the Paris Agreement, the
voluntary choice of the method for limiting emissions, as well as the shaping of
climate and energy policies depending on the possibilities and specific conditions in
terms of raw materials and geography (using own natural resources).
United Nations states must act together in order to halt the dangerous climate
change. However, these efforts must be tailored to the capabilities of the individual
countries. They should ensure a balance in commitments between states in a
different condition and at different stages of development.
Poland would like to be an ambassador of the sustainable approach to climate
change. It would like to represent not only its own interests, but also those of the
region and to defend the principle of voluntary action as the foundation of democracy
and the European community.
Promotion of climate neutrality based on carbon sequestration by forests (the
concept of forest carbon farms) and soils
Forests occupy almost one third of Poland’s territory. Due to this, we can achieve
climate neutrality envisaged in the Paris Agreement, i.e. balancing the emission level
with the quantity of CO2 absorbed by forests. Scientific research has demonstrated
that, among others, by planting appropriate tree species it is possible to enhance the
capacity of forests to absorb CO2 and, thus, to reduce the impact of the expected
climate change.
During COP24 Poland would like to show the other countries how climate neutrality
can be reached by using innovation and a technique for CO2 sequestration by soils
and forests (the project “Forest Carbon Farms”).
As evidence to these achievements, Poland would also like to propose research on
the economic impacts of CO2 reduction through its capture by forests and soils for
the sustainable development of the world.

EFFORTS
 Polish government, as a part of the implementation of the Responsible
Development Strategy, has developed a series of regulations aiming
popularizing low- and zero-emission vehicles. The Package for Clean
Transport includes such documents as the Plan for the Development of

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 Electromobility in Poland, the National Framework for the Development Policy
of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure and the Act on Electromobility and
Alternative Fuels. Due to a number of initiatives listed in the Package, it was
also decided to prepare a financial instrument that would support the
implementation of the measures provided for in these documents. It is the
Low-Carbon Transport Fund, which by 2027 will manage PLN 6.7 billion.

 On June 7, 2018 the Polish government launched "Clean Air" program. The
main goal of the program is to improve the energy efficiency of existing
buildings and to significantly reduce the emissions of atmospheric pollutants.
The implementation will take ten years and its total budget will be PLN 103
billion.

 Polish government is trying to create favorable conditions for the construction

of a profitable, effective and modern hard coal mining sector, based on
cooperation, knowledge and innovation. Pure, innovative coal technologies
such as coal gasification are tested in Silesia. Śląskie Voivodship was also
included in the EU initiative addressed to the coal regions in the
transformation period (Coal Regions in Transition). Among the projects
submitted by the Poland, there are plans to create a pumped storage power
plant in the liquidated Krupiński mine in Suszec or a project for hydrogen cells
prepared by Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa.

 The forest coverage of Poland is systematically increasing. From 1995 to

2014, the area of forests increased by 504 thousand hectares. This includes
great merit of the State Forests supervised by the Ministry of the Environment.
Forests make up almost a third part of the territory of Poland. Scientific
researches show that by planting specific tree species, we can increase the
ability of forests to absorb CO2. During COP24 Poland wants to present other
countries the technique of absorbing CO2 by soil and forests ("Forest Coal
Farms" project).

KEY MESSAGES
During COP24, the Polish Presidency plans to focus its attention on three key topics:
 technology - to show that there are climate-friendly modern solutions, such
as electromobility allowing for sustainable urban development, clean air and
an opportunity for modern jobs;
 human - emphasizing the need to lead change together with people through
the solidarity and fair transformation of regions and industrial sectors;
 nature - including multifunctional and sustainable forest management as part
of climate neutrality and the role of forests as greenhouse gas sinks, and
support for a synergic view of the three UN key conventions: on climate, on
biodiversity and on desertification.

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KEY INITIATIVES OF THE POLISH PRESIDENCY
In each of the themes of the Polish Presidency (technology, human, nature), Poland
plans to achieve a concrete result, which are served by three declarations
constituting an important contribution to the global climate protection policy. As a
result, it is enriched with three perspectives, with a broader view that considers the
importance of removals, the role of agriculture and biodiversity, respond to rapidly
growing transport emissions, and places the perspective of human and his work in
the centre of climate issues.
 The Driving Change Together Partnership for Electromobility and Zero
Emission Transport is dedicated to technological and organisational change
towards zero emission transport. Maintaining the current rate of development,
including the development of urban agglomerations and megacities, while
keeping the current model of transport and the dominant types of propulsion
and energy sources, is incompatible with the promotion of a sustainable
transport model and the reduction of dependence on fossil fuels.
 Declaration on fair transformation under the motto: Solidarity and Just
Transition Silesia Declaration is dedicated to ensuring a fair and solidarity-
based transformation that will help to protect the climate while maintaining
economic development and jobs. Development should be economically,
socially, environmentally and climatically responsible. That is why the path we
want to follow is socially and environmentally sustainable development, with
an emphasis on modernisation, technological change and the implementation
of innovations enabling a more efficient and environmentally friendly use of
resources.
 The Silesian Ministerial Declaration "Forests for Climate" on the
conservation and increase of carbon stocks in greenhouse gas sinks and
reservoirs until 2050 indicates the key role of sinks and will help to achieve
the objective set out by the Paris Agreement.

COP24 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

EMAS - certification of the Polish Environment Ministry - as a source of the highest
environmental standards during COP24

The Ministry of the Environment is EMAS registered and complies with the highest
environmental requirements of this system. As an authority responsible for COP24, it
also pays special attention to the environmental aspects of organising and
conducting of major events such as international climate conference.

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 What is EMAS?

EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) is an

EU environmental instrument based on Regulation
(EC) No 1221/2009 on the voluntary participation by
organisations in the EMAS community.
The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
is a useful tool for creating a culture of sustainable
development and efficient management of available
resources and energy by different organisations.
EMAS requirements help organisations to
implement system solutions to ensure that business
objectives are achieved in compliance with
environmental protection requirements. EMAS is
also a reliable system for reporting by particular
entities of their environmental impacts and facilitating an open dialogue with
stakeholders.
The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is addressed to all types of
organisations interested in implementing comprehensive environmental solutions,
i.e. companies, public institutions, industrial plants etc.

Purpose:
As part of EMAS registration, organisations commit themselves to continuous
compliance with legal requirements concerning environmental protection and
reducing negative environmental impact e.g. by generating greater savings in the
areas of energy, waste management and water and sewage management.
Organisations demonstrate that they have proven instruments to ensure the highest
level of environmental protection, and that their 'green image' is confirmed by a
special and credible EMAS certificate, awarded by the General Director of
Environmental Protection.

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