Poland is facing one of the defining challenges of its economic transition: how to reconcile a strong industrial base with mounting decarbonisation pressures. A new WiseEuropa report – serving as a synthesis of the insights and findings developed throughout the Green Horizon project – highlights that carbon management solutions, particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS), could play a pivotal role in this process, especially in regions undergoing structural transition. The analysis points to substantial deployment potential in hard-to-abate sectors, while also identifying key regulatory, financial, and social barriers that continue to slow progress. Altogether, the report offers a timely perspective on how Poland can move toward climate neutrality without compromising its economic competitiveness.
Recently, the Polish ambition in terms of deployment of carbon management technologies increased. It is partially due to the regulatory obligations imposed on the largest energy company in Poland through the Net Zero Industry Act. The push from other hard-to-abate industries which are seeking for strategies to align their business strategies with the long term climate targets, and avoid additional, extensive costs related to EU ETS system also put additional pressure. The project of CCUS.pl in 2024 the complex assessment of potential for the CCS technology has been conducted providing the public administration with the tools to prepare the data-driven strategies.
The Ministry of Climate and Environment has started working on the long-term strategy, engaging also the representative of industries, academia and third sector. Despite all of these, the final strategy as well as proposal for the comprehensive regulations for the CCS market in Poland have not been published yet, potentially jeopardizing the implementation
of such projects.
The aim of this paper is to briefly present key opportunities and political barriers jeopardizing the development of the CM market in Poland, also in the just transition regions. We hope to contribute to the works and discussions on the future framework for these technologies, as in our opinion they remain crucial for ensuring the more sustainable economic development of Poland.
