Poland still lacks a strategy for decarbonising industry. Without one, it may be difficult to utilise EU funds in the new financial perspective and support energy-intensive industries. In the third report in a series devoted to industry in Poland, we analyse the possibilities for decarbonising sectors such as metallurgy, cement production, chemicals and glass.

What can we learn from EU ETS revenue investments and how can Member States use their future revenues to support an ambitious and equitable path to decarbonisation? A new study by Reform Institute, commissioned by Germanwatch under the LIFE EFFECT Programme, investigates how revenues from ETS1 have been invested in the five countries with the most emissions in the EU ETS sectors.

On 22nd of October we have organised a rountable in collaboartion with Clean Air Task Force. The event gathered stakeholders from across government and industry as a crucial touchpoint to dig into exactly how Poland can scale clean hydrogen without slowing its net-zero progress or undermining competitiveness.

Poland needs an effective system for permitting investments in order to remain competitive. Unfortunately, complicated and lengthy administrative procedures slow down this process, generating significant economic and social costs. A report by the Reform Institute shows feasible paths for reforming the system and its benefits.

Polish industry must phase out coal – it's essential to remain competitive and meet climate targets. How can we speed up this process in a sector that's already struggling with high energy costs? This was discussed at a June conference organised by the Reform Institute.

The Reform Institute presents its key recommendations on the draft of the Social Climate Plan, which would allow Poland to access €11.4 billion from the Social Climate Fund. The remarks focus on the need for systemic reforms, better diagnosis of energy and transport poverty, and more effective implementation of the ETS2 system.

The Social Climate Plan can help prepare for the implementation of reforms in transport and buildings. On the 30th of June 2025, the Reform Institute held a meeting to discuss the most important points of the Polish NGOs and other stakeholders on the draft document.

Poland can receive up to €11.4 billion to fight energy and transport poverty. The funds are intended to support the transition in the transport and building sectors, but their release depends on the submission of a Social Climate Plan. During the public consultations, the Reform Institute submitted comments on a draft of the document published by the Polish Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy.

By 2050, Poland could be losing as much as 124 billion PLN a year from the escalating effects of climate change. Meanwhile, only 0.2% of GDP is spent on climate protection - half the amount spent on fossil fuel subsidies and a third of the revenues from the EU ETS. A new report by Reform Institute and ClientEarth Foundation examines the cost of climate change and presents strategies to mitigate it.

The final stretch before the publication of the updated NECP, is the right moment to assess the current state of climate governance in Poland, including identifying its weaknesses and potential areas for improvement. During a recent Reform Institute roundtable, we presented the key findings of our new study, listened to the perspectives of ministries’ representatives and experts directly involved in managing the systemic transition.

Gas and biomass will become a cost trap for Polish industry in the coming years caused by rising emission allowance prices and the development of RES. The Reform Institute's latest report in its “Energising Industry” series shows that the future belongs to industrial electrification. The report analyses the financial barriers that are slowing down the transformation of industrial heat sources.

The electrification of industrial plants is a real opportunity for a cleaner, cheaper, and more competitive industry. In the face of rising emission costs and the end of cheap gas, companies need to take action now. In our latest report, we analyze how much different sectors can save by transitioning with the use of heat pumps.

The Institute for Reform presents a two-part report titled “Overcoming Energy and Transport Poverty.” In this report, we analyze the scale of energy and transport poverty in Poland and outline specific actions that can help mitigate the effects of rising energy and fuel prices following the implementation of the ETS2 system.

Given the current and future costs of emission allowances, along with the affordability of direct electrification technologies, investment in clean process heat will gradually become more cost-effective. Based on government strategies, electrification with industrial heat pumps will be cheaper than burning fossil fuels in 10-15 years. However, investments must start now. Participants of the Reform Institute’s workshop discussed what forms of financing Polish companies can reach for, and why they are doing so on a limited scale.

Most current climate frameworks overlook the emissions and resource use tied to the full lifecycle of materials. Meanwhile, the building and construction sector is one of Europe’s largest sources of carbon emissions, material use, and waste generation. A new report by the Reform Institute, CONCITO and ReThink reveals how circular economy actions can address this gap.

Reform Institute presents the report "Climate for CE: the Role of Circularity in the Polish NECP". In it, we analyse the key links between the development of a circular economy (CE) and the implementation of climate policy.

Decarbonisation of industry is a necessary condition for maintaining the competitiveness of the Polish economy and building the EU's resilience to external risks. One of the most effective and accessible solutions is electrification of process heat using renewable energy.

Poland still lacks a coherent and long-term vision of development. The institutions responsible for the energy and climate transition do not cooperate, decisions are made in an uncoordinated manner and without a clear direction. In the latest report, “Strategy or Stagnation? Poland facing the challenges of transformation”, experts from the Reform Institute warn that without stronger institutions and better processes to deliberately steer change, Poland risks missing out on development opportunities and facing rising socioeconomic costs.

How can the European Union safeguard its security and competitiveness in today’s uncertain times without giving up on its environmental protection and energy transition goals? This was the central question explored by participants at the Think2030 Dialogue Poland conference, held in Warsaw on March 28.

The ENTICE project is an interdisciplinary initiative funded under the Horizon Europe program. Its mission is to enhance trade and climate expertise by developing robust methodologies, tools and actionable insights that contribute to sustainable policymaking.

We are pleased to present our new brief: "Compass for the Polish transformation: What's next after the update of the National Energy and Climate Plan?". In this document, we analyze what the new NECP should contain to become a roadmap for Poland's transformation, consistent with EU policies such as the Clean Industrial Deal. We also recommend specific actions for the Polish government to prepare the economy for the challenges and opportunities of the transformation.

We have developed a methodology to assess National Energy and Climate Plans for a just transition. Here, we share our findings based on the updated plans published from four European countries.

Is Europe on track to deliver a heat pump roll-out? The European Heat Pump Policies Ranking of the Reform Institute evaluates policies across 10 countries.

Currently, circular economy is not assessed as an integral part of general decarbonization and climate and energy policies at the European level. DECON project aims to address the gap between circular economy and strategies related to decarbonisation aspects and sector-specific needs within the
building and construction materials sector.

The lengthy environmental procedures for investments in wind and solar energy can be shortened to a maximum of one year. This is achievable through efficient implementation of the EU’s RED III directive into Polish law, according to the latest report by the Reform Institute.

More than 30 social and industry organisations have signed an appeal calling for a thorough public consultation on the full update of the National Energy and Climate Plan.

The Reform Institute organised a meeting on the National Development Concept 2050, with the participation of the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy. The event gathered over 40 participants who discussed the vision for Poland's development and the role of the NDC 2050 document in shaping the country's future.

In April, Reform Institute held a workshop to initiate discussion of various sectors concerning the updated National Energy and Climate Plan. Together with the participants, we evaluated the process of updating this strategic document for Poland's energy and industry. We also pointed out challenges that the government should find answers to when it publishes the full version of the NERP in the next months of this year.

On April 11 Reform Institute held a workshop on areas of accelerated RES development as a new tool for accelerating the energy transition in Poland. The discussion centered around ways to successfully implement the tools proposed by the RED III Directive into the national regulatory framework.

The EU-funded Co-CREATE project aims to foster the development of standards for responsible and ethical management of scientific research into the controversial Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) technologies.

In mid-March 2024, the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy presented proposed amendments to the Polish National Recovery Plan (NRP). Reform Institute took part in a public consultation and a public hearing, presenting recommendations for revisions to the updated NRP.

On February 15, 2024, the Reform Institute held a roundtable to discuss two key documents for energy and climate reforms – the National Energy and Climate Plan and the Social Climate Plan.

On February 22, 2024, the Reform Institute held the first roundtable on renewable energy sources acceleration areas. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, representatives of the RES sector, as well as experts in the field.

The project implemented in cooperation with BlueLink Foundation, ECCO and Ecologic Institute focuses on developing a methodology to assess to what extent the updated NECPs address the just transition challenges, and applying it to the selected Plans.

The report concerns the EU's efforts to speed up procedures for RES investments, the process of implementing RES acceleration areas, and Polish energy challenges, providing recommendations in this regard.

The report “Social Climate Fund - Billions to Fight Energy and Transport Poverty” presents the implementation context of the Fund, essential information regarding its operation, and the prerequisites Poland must meet to avail its benefits.

On 1 December 2023 the Reform Institute held a roundtable on the development of electricity grids in Poland. The discussion concerned both the EU Action Plan for Grids, published at the end of November, and Polish priorities in this regard.

Reform Institute partnered with Climate Strategies to carry out Race to the Top project which seeks to provide practical knowledge on industrial decarbonization policy and form a basis for EU-US stakeholder dialogue.

The Reform Institute has released a report on the perspectives for the development of electricity grids in Poland in the light of green electrification.

The EU-funded UPTAKE project aims to develop resilient CDR strategies based on strengthened scientific evidence on the social, technological, economic, and environmental characteristics of CDR technologies and their interplay.

The Reform Institute, in cooperation with Agnieszka Smolenska, PhD and Pawel Tokarski, PhD, has prepared a report covering new factors that affect the discussion on the euro adoption in Poland.

The goal of the "Poland in the region" report, prepared by SpotData with the contribution of the Reform Institute for the Friendly State Foundation, was to compare long-term development trends in the Visegrad Group countries

On 20 July 2023, the second Reform Institute Roundtable on the update of the National Energy and Climate Plan and the Polish Energy Policy until 2040 took place. The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment and numerous stakeholders and experts.

The Reform Institute was a partner of the Third National Roundtable on Energy Efficiency Financing in Poland.

NGOs are calling on the government to launch a transparent, open, and structured dialogue around further work on updating the Polish National Energy and Climate Plan.

Energy producers and users together with think tanks call for the potential of green electrification to be included in the currently updated Polish strategic documents.

The Reform Institute, together with the International Group of Chambers of Commerce, held a meeting to discuss the current status of work and possible forms of international cooperation in the field of green electrification in Poland.

The European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) aims to help ensure the EU achieves climate neutrality by providing scientifically rigorous analysis of economy-wide progress and an independent check on EU climate policy processes.

Over the past year, we have been analyzing key cross-sectoral challenges in the field of green electrification of the Polish economy, which combines the development of RES and increasing the share of electricity in final energy consumption.

In the report summarizing the project Unpacking REPowerEU, we indicate the basic assumptions of the REPowerEU plan, its key pillars, the state of implementation one year after the announcement as well as collective recommendations for Poland and the entire European Union.

Decarbonisation of the construction industry is particularly important for the European Union in achieving climate neutrality. However, this process brings challenges for entrepreneurs of this traditionally material- and carbon-intensive sector. The Reform Institute and the Union of Employers – Manufacturers of Construction Materials organised a Roundtable on decarbonisation strategies for the construction industry.

In mid-April 2023, the Reform Institute organised a roundtable focused on the update of the Polish National Energy and Climate Plan - a document which should comprehensively define the means of achieving the country's energy and climate goals by 2030.

In the report Challenges and opportunities for the electrification of heavy road transport in Poland prepared for the Electric Vehicles Promotion Foundation (FPPE) by Deloitte Poland and the Reform Institute, we analyze the most important issues related to the decarbonisation of the sector in Poland and Europe.

This paper analyses Poland’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). The NECP should act as one of the country’s main planning documents, an important reference point for national strategies and programmes concerning broadly understood energy transition and climate protection.

At the end of December 2022, the negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council concerning additional financial resources for projects under the REPowerEU plan aimed at improving energy security in Europe, came to an end. Obtaining further support depends on the presentation of the new chapter of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), encompassing investments and reforms consistent with the REPowerEU goals. To effectively utilise these resources, the Polish government should urgently commence work on the new chapter.

Socio-political analysis of energy poverty in Warsaw report, prepared by the Polish Green Network and the Reform Institute, places particular emphasis on the socio-economic context of Warsaw and provides recommendations to mitigate and counteract energy poverty.

We are pleased to announce that Reform Institute has become a partner of the CEE Sustainable Finance Summit. The CEE Sustainable Finance Summit happening between 15 - 19 May 2023 in Prague is the largest specialised hybrid event focused on sustainability in finance and business in Central and Eastern European (CEE) region.

By 2040 Poland can achieve 100 GW in renewables capacities, double the targets currently signalled by the government. This requires an ambitious revision of the Polish energy policy.

The transition to climate neutrality requires smart use of the hydrogen economy potential. This applies in particular to pioneering investments at the local and regional level. Therefore, as part of the EU Clean Hydrogen Partnership, local and regional governments will receive support via the Project Development Assistance formula.

The REPowerEU plan assumes an additional acceleration of the pace of the energy transformation based on renewable energy and improving energy efficiency compared to the initial proposals under the Fit for 55 package. Such shift is necessary to rapidly make the EU independent of gas imports from Russia, while maintaining the 55% GHG emission reduction target by 2030. The concept of fossil gas as a transition fuel which could replace coal in response to carbon pricing pressure is being abandoned. This increases the role of regulatory changes required to unlock the potential of renewables and transition directly from coal to zero-emission sources, in line with the coal to green logic.

Energy modernisation of buildings in Poland is crucial for climate protection, improvement of the country's energy security and the fight against energy poverty. The report Effective instruments supporting comprehensive energy modernisation of buildings in Poland prepared by the Reform Institute for the Polish Renovation Wave presents a number of detailed recommendations for adjusting the national support framework for the renovation of single-family and public buildings.

Reform Institute supported cooperation between the Polish and Dutch offshore wind industry by preparing an overview of current state of play and outlook in the offshore wind energy sector in Poland. The report was presented in June 2022 during the trade mission from Netherlands to Poland organised by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Warsaw.

Discussions about the “Clean Air” Programme so far have overlooked the importance of investments in thermal renovation and the possibility to make the heating of Polish buildings fully independent from fossil fuels. The report of the Reform Institute Investing in energy efficiency: an exception or a rule in the “Clean Air” Programme? fills this gap. It presents a comprehensive overview of how funds have been spent and what needs to change in the future.