Experts meet in Warsaw to debate climate change

The meeting on Thursday aimed to come up with a common stand on environmental issues ahead of the COP24 United Nations conference on climate change that is to be held in Katowice, southern Poland, in December.

Improved energy efficiency, better integration of energy systems and promoting the use of electric vehicles were named at the Warsaw meeting among the top priorities of the Three Seas Initiative countries for counteracting climate change, Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

The Three Seas Initiative, launched by Poland and Croatia in 2015, brings together Poland, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.

Poland’s Deputy Environment Minister Michał Kurtyka was quoted by IAR as saying that the Three Seas initiative countries not only have a common history, but also common goals and problems.

“With the Paris climate agreement in mind, we need to think about solving our problems in ways that are beneficial for our planet,” Kurtyka said.

Some 30,000 people, including scientists, politicians, diplomats and businessmen from 200 countries are expected to take part in the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, according to IAR news agency.

The COP 24 summit, due to run from December 2 to 14, will focus on progress made in carrying out the 2015 Paris climate agreement and in moving away from energy sources such as coal in favour of "clean" energy.

Poland has hosted the annual UN climate change conference twice already, in Warsaw in 2013 and in Poznań in 2008.

(tf/pk)