THE PROGRAM COUNCIL

Senator Adam Szejnfeld at the Forefront of the Debate on Green Transformation

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On March 25-26, 2025, Warsaw will host a key event that will define the directions of Poland’s green transformation. The Polish Climate Congress will bring together leaders from the public, private, and non-governmental sectors, with the thematic scope prepared by the Program Council led by Senator Adam Szejnfeld, one of the advocates of a fair and effective energy transition in Poland, and Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Economy and Innovation.

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Senator Adam Szejnfeld, Chair of the Program Council, emphasized the historical importance of the green transformation: “Poland has already undergone two great revolutions – the political transformation when we ended the era of socialism, and the economic transformation that introduced us to the group of free-market countries. Now, the time has come for the third revolution: the energy transition. This is not only a technological and economic challenge but, above all, a civilizational one,” said Szejnfeld.

Under the leadership of the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Economy and Innovation, the Program Council focused on creating a platform for dialogue between government representatives, businesses, and the scientific community. The Program Council, composed of: Marzena Czarnecka - Minister - Ministry of Industry, Adam Szejnfeld - Senator of the Republic of Poland, Chair of the PKK Program Council, (followed alphabetically) Anna Chmielewska - Director of EBRD, Piotr Czak - CEO of PySense, Krzysztof Fal - Director - Wise Europa, Maja Frontczak - Lawyer at Gessel, Tomasz Gasiński - Deloitte Partner, Adam Gawrylik - Member of the Board of the Pomeranian Voivodeship on behalf of Marshal Mieczysław Struk, Dalida Gepfert - Vice President of Enea, Paweł Gniadek on behalf of President Magdalena Bezuska - Veolia Term, Jacek Hutyra - Vice President of Leroy Merlin, Jakub Kowalik – Vice Marshal of West Pomeranian Voivodeship on behalf of Marshal Olgierd Geblewicz, Piotr Listwoń - CEO of the Commodity Exchange, Witold Literacki - Vice President of Orlen S.A., Paweł Łączkowski - Counsel at White & Case, Tadeusz Męciński - CEO of Green Hub, Jarosław Miziołek – CEO of Arcadis, Agnieszka Okońska - Vice President of Stoen Operator, Mikołaj Raczyński - Vice President of PFR on behalf of Piotr Matczuk, Maciej Sypek - CEO of Holcim, Krzysztof Szamałek - General Director of the State Geological Institute, Tomasz Zieliński - President of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry, initiated discussions around issues and thematic paths that will form the substantive framework for the Polish Climate Congress 2025. Remote recommendations were sent by other Council members: Ministry of Climate and Environment, Adam Leszkiewicz - CEO of Grupa Azoty, Marta Postuła - Vice President of BGK, Iwona Sroka - Vice President of Murapol, Jacek Bogusławski - Member of the Board of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship, Polish Mining Group, Prof. Zbigniew Karaczun, and Michał Gajewski - CEO of Santander.

A key topic of the Program Council’s discussions was a joint strategy for ministries and businesses for the green transition. Discussions covered issues such as financing investments in renewable energy and nuclear energy, private sector engagement in improving energy efficiency, and adaptation to climate change.

Marzena Czarnecka, Minister of Industry, highlighted the critical role of concrete actions: “There is a lack of projects that could benefit from EU funds. We should focus on areas like hydrogen, gas, and SMRs (small modular reactors). It is essential to define clear timelines and outline specific steps to be taken in the short, medium, and long terms.”

Meanwhile, Witold Literacki, Vice President of Orlen S.A., emphasized the need to include social aspects in the transformation strategy. “The energy transition must bring social benefits, such as reducing unemployment and improving the welfare of local communities. If the social costs are too high, they could halt the transformation process,” he stressed.

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Tomasz Zieliński, President of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry, pointed out the need for synergy: “Without cooperation between sectors, we will not achieve our goals. The chemical industry is ready to join the transformation process, but it needs clear regulatory frameworks and support from the state.”

Piotr Listwoń, CEO of the Commodity Exchange, underlined the role of energy markets: “Transparency and stability of energy markets are crucial for attracting investors. While supporting the development of RES, we must also ensure the stability of energy supplies.”

The topics that will be part of the Congress agenda were defined based on government and expert recommendations. These include:

• Decarbonization of energy-intensive industries, including steelmaking and the chemical sector.

• Development of hydrogen and SMR technologies.

• Energy efficiency in industry.

• Financing the green transition, including foreign capital involvement.

• Building climate-resilient cities.

• Scenarios for the development of the energy system in the short-term and long-term.

Professor Krzysztof Szamałek, General Director of the State Geological Institute, emphasized the importance of defining specific actions for various time periods: short-term, medium-term, and long-term. “Actions such as the development of nuclear energy or hydrogen infrastructure can bring long-term effects, but we also need quick solutions for the district heating sector,” he added.

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The Polish Climate Congress stands out for its practical approach and focus on inter-sectoral cooperation. The two-day event will feature debates, panel discussions, workshops, and the Energy Transformation Leadership Gala 2025.

At the close of the first meeting of the Program Council, Senator Adam Szejnfeld emphasized that the Congress has the potential to become a turning point in the discussion on energy transformation in Poland: “Our goal is to create a space where industry, government, and NGO leaders can work together to develop effective and fair solutions for the future of Poland and Europe.”

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The Polish Climate Congress will take place on March 25-26, 2025, in Warsaw. Detailed program and registration information are available at: www.polskikongresklimatyczny.pl.