Have you noticed how many people are wearing face masks wherever they go? It’s not only because of the cold; they literally have trouble breathing outside.
The cause is evident: air pollution. It has been a major issue for years now but it always seemed a problem of other countries, not Poland. Now, there are days when you can’t even see the Palace of Science and Culture.
Last Wednesday at the presidential palace, President Andrzej Duda held a conference dedicated to new solutions that can help solve that problem, “Technology for the Future: Electromobility.”
President Duda sees fuel motor vehicles emission as the main cause for the smog enveloping Polish cities. New technologies offer an unprecedented chance of solving that problem. The solution Poland is especially focused on is electromobility.
“Electric cars mean no fuel motor vehicles emission. And, in my opinion, that is what really causes smog. If we implemented electromobility, the air would become cleaner. Another advantage would be the development of the R & D mechanism. Finding alternative ways of powering motor vehicles has been a goal for scientists and engineers for years,” said President Duda.
What’s more, Poland would be absolutely self-sufficient. Over 90% of the oil used to make petrol in the country is imported. When it comes to electric power, it can be produced locally. That would eliminate the costs and procedures resulting from the import of oil.
To prove that the government is taking the issue seriously, a bill on electromobility and alternative fuels has been drafted and approved. It provides a system of encouragements, such as the removal of excise duty for electric cars, exempting them from parking fees and larger depreciations for companies. It also assumes building new base infrastructure for alternative fuels in big cities and along the most important roads. The strategy for the sustainable development also aims to produce and implement a million electric cars by 2025.
According to President Duda, when it comes to electromobility, Poland is an equal partner for west-european countries and can cooperate with them to create a better and cleaner future for us.
Stay tuned for more! Transportation, energy & environment will be widely discussed during Impact’18 on June 13-14, 2018, in Cracow. There’s also another event in the works – Impact mobility’18 revolution, on September 12-14. See you there!
