I am very glad to take part in the inauguration of the largest programme within the scope of the European Economic Area Grants in Poland and in Europe – the Environment, Energy and Climate Change Programme. This programme serves as a response to the important challenge of the impact of human activity on changes in the natural environment, said President Andrzej Duda.

In the case of the two previous instalments in Poland, in 2004–2009 and 2009–2014, the funds were used to carry out more than 2,700 valuable projects. I am deeply convinced that the amount of support allotted to Poland this third time will enable the implementation of many more new projects, which will bring tangible results concerning all kinds of important aspects of social and economic life, the President added.

Funding under the 3rd edition of the Norway Grants and EEA Grants in the Environment, Energy and Climate Change Programme in Poland is available to local governments, entrepreneurs, academic institutions and non-governmental organisations. Depending on the programme area, the level of co-financing may range from 45% to 100%. Of the 164 million € earmarked for mitigation and combating climate change, 140 million € are funds from the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism. These funds will be used to carry out programmes concerning three main areas – renewable energy and energy efficiency; climate change mitigation and exposure reduction, as well as environment and ecosystems. The first calls for projects will start in early April.

 I would like to thank the Presidents of Iceland and Poland for their participation in today’s event. Today, we are celebrating the collaboration between our countries, concerning issues, which we all hold dear, and our shared perception of reality. We want today’s meeting to be more than just another ordinary conference – we want it to be a meeting place, a breeding ground for new ideas, brought about by the exchange of experience, said the Minister of Climate, Michał Kurtyka.

The conference, during which the main assumptions of the programme were presented, was an opportunity for networking meetings between representatives of Polish institutions with representatives of Norwegian and Icelandic entities, as well as for promoting partnerships. The list of attendees included Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Climate, Waldemar Buda, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, Lilja Alfreðsdóttir Minister of Education, Science and Culture of the Republic of Iceland, Mathias Fischer, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Climate and Environment of the Kingdom of Norway, Árni Páll Árnason, Deputy Director at the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels.