The Secret to Polish Pollution is Historical
Curbing environmental problems can and should be a priority, but root causes go farther than energy needs
Today, the New York Times published an article on the pollution that blankets the nation of Poland. In a world increasingly aware of the problems caused by over-reliance on fossil fuels and the consequences of poor air quality, Poland’s predicament stands out. It makes sense to the informed reader that industrializing nations would eschew environmental regulations in favor of economic growth, but to see a nation as prominent as Poland do so sees odd.
As the article alludes to, the answer to Poland’s current situation lies in history. First and foremost, the nation relies on coal so that it doesn’t have to buy gas from Russia, but the cultural and social reasons for relying on “black gold” go even deeper. Poland has always existed on the periphery of Europe, and its current environmental situation underscores decades of similar history.
Authors Maciek Nabrdalik and Marc Santora write that, “Poland has some the most polluted air in all of the European Union, and 33 of its 50 dirtiest cities,” continuing, “In all of the European Union, 80 percent of private homes using coal are in Poland.” The problem then, is easy to understand. Polish citizens suffer from exposure to dirty air, and there seems to be no easy end in sight.
What is less obvious though, is why Poland loves coal so much. The first reason, previously mentioned by both myself and the Times is the desire to avoid dependance on Russia. Given the history of the Cold War, what recently happened to Ukraine, and the constant threat of Putin’s aggression, this mindset is understandable. Using purchasing power as a nationalistic weapon is nothing new, and shouldn’t strike anyone in Europe or America as surprising.
I’d argue that Poland’s reluctance to buy Russian gas or otherwise clean up its energy encapsulates a great deal of this nation’s recent history. Poland is much more of an outsider to Europe than a nation like France or Italy. It was one of the first dominoes to fall during World War II, a satellite nation of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and has almost always been seen as the “little brother” of greater Europe. Poland has almost always been on the periphery of European affairs, so perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that they have followed the same pattern in energy.
Energy concerns aren’t an isolated example of discord between Poland and the EU. As recently as last summer, the EU threatened to take away the nation’s voting privileges over government concerns. In addition, Poland has started several arguments within the organization over energy policies, particularly as they relate to Russian gas.
Polish history has been filled with chaos and instability to an extent that is sadly familiar among many Eastern European nations. Just like many of these nations, a great deal of this instability can be traced back to WWII. After Nazi control ended in 1945, Russia’s quick seizure of power in the area left little room for self-determination or independent control. Now that Poland doesn’t have to fear Soviet domination and has emerged out of the chaotic 1970s and 1980s, their reticence to conform with Europe make at least some amount of sense.
To an extent, the interpretation I have proposed here is certainly over-simplistic. Poland has a rich history — politically, socially, and culturally — that goes far beyond the history of WWII and the Cold War. There are also many other factors at play beyond the EU, and many parts of Poland’s government are making laudable attempts to limit pollution. Rather, the main point I want to make here is that history can tell us a lot about Poland’s seemingly-iconoclastic relationship with coal-powered energy. At the very least, there are understandable reasons for the smog that now covers more and more of the country.
