Decarbonising by 2050 could boost Poland’s economy by 4%, World Bank says

WARSAW (Reuters) – Decarbonising Poland by 2050 would require investments worth about $450 billion, but could boost gross domestic product by an extra 4%, according to a World Bank report on Wednesday.

Poland has agreed to stop mining coal for energy production by 2049 and is now working on a new version of the national energy and climate plan that it has to submit to the European Commission. The EU targets carbon neutrality by 2050.

“Achieving net zero emissions by 2050 … could push real GDP growth by an average of 0.2% a year over the next 25 years compared to the trajectory set out by current policies, delivering cumulative economic gains of at least 4% of GDP by 2050,” the World Bank said.

Additionally, benefits related to the improved health of Poland’s population resulting from cleaner air could be equal to 1.4% of GDP over the same period, it added.

According to the World Bank, Poland’s continued reliance on coal for power and industrial production poses “severe risks” to people and its economy, and accounts for the highest number of deaths attributable to air pollution in Europe. Poland is the world’s ninth largest coal user.

It also said that extreme droughts were inflicting annual losses of about $1.4 billion, while 600,000 people and $7 billion worth of assets were at risk from flooding every year.

The report said decarbonising the economy would require investments of about $450 billion, and would need private capital on top of domestic and EU resources to finance it.