Climate change in Poland
Temperature has been observed to increase over the last decades due to anthropogenic activity, and without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions the effects of climate change will become ever more noticeable.
[2] Floods and droughts are the main weather related challenges that Poland faces, and they are expected to become more frequent and intense in varying scenarios with predicted climate change.
[10] Renewable sources such as solar and off-shore wind power are slowly gaining importance in Poland's energy supply.
According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, "the main threat to biodiversity is anthropocentric";[24] these threats include for instance air pollution damaging coniferous forest reproduction, hillside deforestation that causes degradation of riverbanks and their populations, and the reclamation of swamp lands that reduces alder habitats.
[25] Examples of invasive species are the American mink (Neovison vison),[25] small balsam (Impatiens parviflora),[26] or the pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus).
[25] Where changes in mean temperature and precipitation could mean a setback to native populations, it could be beneficial to invasive species, such as the pumpkinseed fish that thrives in warmer water.
[27] Advancing invasive species are especially dangerous in national parks, where native flora and fauna is otherwise more or less protected from anthropocentric influence.
[28] The main threats of climate change in Poland involve changes in water balance, decrease in agricultural yields, increased frequency of extreme weather, increased forest fire risk, loss of biodiversity, and accelerated soil erosion.
Further risks of biosphere and ecosphere alterations depend on future global warming and ecological feedback effects.
[32] A dependence on only a few energy sources, accompanied by the altered demand patterns will likely lead to rising fuel prices.
[33] In the context of more extreme and unpredictable weather events, heavy precipitation, floods and storms will affect the reliability of the energy system concerning its capacity to provide for future households, companies and general public consumption.
Compared to other countries in Europe, Poland has the highest number of inhabitants who are professionally active in agriculture.
[4] Qualitative and quantitative changes in soil moisture are likely to affect spring cereals, leading to decreased potato and maize yield.
[17] Increased temperatures accompanied with extreme weather events involve higher vulnerability to water scarcity and agricultural insecurity, as "adapting crops to climate change can be difficult and uncertain".
Climate displacements will force migrants to seek refuge in Poland and other parts of Europe over the next decades.
[4] Future challenges involve the polish health system dealing with increased exposure to extreme weather events, but also diseases not yet occurring in our climate zone.
A longer growing season will enhance the exposure to pollen and the risks related to allergens have been observed to increase.
[37] As Poland has been a part of the European Union since 2004, the most recent UNFCCC Paris Agreement was signed by them as an EU member state.
[29] The EU legislation obliges Poland to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 14% compared to 2005 levels.
Development policy was established by the following sectors: water management, agriculture, energy, transport services, cities and construction, health, coastal zone, mountain areas, biodiversity and ecosystems, and forests.
However, action in rural areas and agriculture is still insignificant, as the role of biodiversity preservation and rehabilitation is undervalued.
More adaptation strategies, research and action are needed to combat the risks of extreme weather events, tied to increasing temperatures in the future.
[45] Of all the participating countries, only Poland, Ireland and Romania have not submitted a long-term strategy to meet the Paris Agreement pledge made by all members of the European Union.
[46] An awareness of the importance of taking action to combat climate change has increased substantially in the last ten years.
