Minister Kowalczyk was invited by the Minister of Health Łukasz Szumowski to participate in the “Investment, not cost – how to increase healthcare expenditures?” debate. During his speech, the Minister spoke, among other things, about millions provided by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management for the thermal modernisation of hospitals and clinics.

“Thermal modernisation of hospitals and clinics thanks to the funds provided by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management makes it possible to reduce the operating costs of healthcare providers and increase their standard of care,” said Minister Kowalczyk.

During subsequent debates, the Minister of Environment pointed out how to effectively manage waste.

“First of all, we should strive to prevent waste in the first place, and all waste that has not been prevented must be prepared for re-use and recycling,” said the Minister.

“Separate collection of waste at source is also a key issue in this respect, since it will translate into lower fees for waste collection for residents,” he added.

Another important issue covered during the Economic Forum was the subject of support for agriculture, which was discussed by Minister Kowalczyk during the “Safe agriculture and threats it has to face” debate.

“The Ministry of Environment actively supports the development of agriculture and rural areas. Together with the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and the Ministry of Agriculture, we have developed a number of green programmes for the residents of rural areas,” the Minister reminded.

This year’s Economic Forum in Krynica was also attended by Vice-Minister of Environment Sławomir Mazurek. During the “Circular Economy – the future of Europe?” he pointed out that Poland fully supports the idea of circular economy and wants to develop best practices in this area.

“We are particularly focused on small communities in rural areas, which are already using innovative solutions in the field of circular economy,” he said.

The Vice-Minister reminded that in 2017 the Ministry of Environment initiated the “Circular Economy in Municipalities” programme, financed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

“This process should take into account local circumstances and the interests of the local communities. Only a multifaceted cooperation can guarantee that the desired results will be achieved,” he added.

Vice-Minister Mazurek also participated in the 14th Economic Forum of Young Leaders, which took place in Nowy Sącz. This year’s edition focused on new perspectives for Europe in the field of sustainable and environmentally-friendly transport. The Vice-Minister of Environment pointed out that the development of transport should simultaneously lead to the reduction of its impact on the environment and should involve promoting its positive impact on human health.

“Eco-mobility is an opportunity to improve air quality and reduce noise. However, the transition towards clean mobility requires profound changes in driving technology, but also in the mindsets and everyday habits of citizens,” said Sławomir Mazurek.

In the opinion of Vice-Minister Mazurek, education focused on environment is an important element of shaping sustainable mobility.

“That is why we have been running the “European Sustainable Transport Week” for several years now, in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure. This campaign promotes more ecological forms of mobility, such as public transit and cycling. It ends with the “Car-Free Day” on 22 September, with many cities and municipalities offering public transit services free of charge,” he pointed out.

In turn, Vice-Minister Michał Kurtyka attended the “Electromobility – Poland and the World” debate, during which he pointed out that Poland is at the forefront of European electric carsharing.

“In March, Warsaw awarded the largest tender for electric buses in Europe, which involved purchasing 130 vehicles. We are also one of the fastest growing markets for the production of lithium-ion batteries,” he added.

While debating climate policy, Vice-Minister Kurtyka also pointed out that there is no single, clear-cut way to ensure climate neutrality for all countries.

“Due to different circumstances in terms of economy, society and natural resources, each country will have to find an optimal path for itself,” he added.

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The Economic Forum is the biggest political and economic event in Central and Eastern Europe. This year’s edition takes place on 3–5 September in Krynica-Zdrój.