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  • An Environmental Battleground: Eco-Politics in Polands

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    An Environmental Battleground: Eco-Politics in Polands

    Enviado por

    cbales1984

    Direitos autorais:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Baixe no formato PDF, TXT ou leia online no Scribd
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    An Environmental Battleground: Eco-Politics in Poland MAREK JAN CHODAKIEWICZ* ABSTRACT Introduction Eexvinonseenerat, awaRENESS and ecological activism in East Central Europe, including Poland, gained wider recog ago. By no means, howeves, should it be conclude ssa novel phenomenon, Even before the collapse of the socalled S. 1989, many authorities agreed that Poland, alvog w e's, even perha county's environment is bleak and ic. The graveness of Poland's ms $0 acute that Professor Joseph Rot s on East Central Europe, judged "the ghastly Communi AN ENVIRONMENTAL BATTLEGROUND: ECO POLITICS IN POLAND 65 xy of the formation of developed Western nations demonstrat innateness of environmental pollation in the process of moderni mental ps to the devel- ‘opment of environmental consciousness among the affected populations which spurs ecological activism among the elite. This impetus in turn, is appropriated. bby mzinstream political parties and social organizations and is translated into var ious polices for environmental management to be implemented by numerous gov- cemmental and independent agencies. Only recently has the environmental experience of decades of Communist ‘essary transformation, system (© an open, democratic one phe, account for divergences from the Western model of envionm nin economy. ‘The lage degce of Interdependence of demecrary, market En cology i what makes Teor in Poland extremely fel to cary out Ad gui venus ini Be. o ‘The Land and the People “areas of ecological disaste.”* Other reports have ident ‘wo vegions where the population has reached dangerous levels and designated five regions as ecoloy beam indust 65 MAREK AN CHoDAntewice The cru of Poland's environmental problem was ideological and geopott cal. While all developing countries ae faced withthe apparent choice beneeeg conomic gromth and environmental health, Com Sally bound by thelr Marit penchant fo 94 When they seized al. The new proletari- n was under Both are government expressed 3, even as an offs As late as 1985, industry and ag than the will or incentive wo change. A The staggering sa g 10 Pk therefore come as no surprise. cco Europe, after the USSR and East percent ( [AN ENVIRONMENTAL BATTLEGROUND, ECO FOLITICS INFOLAND 67 phere. According to American sources, only 4 percent of the country's rivers con- {ained potable water in 1986, compared to 30 percent in 1£67. In 1980, 48 per cent of Poland's water was considered unsuitable even for industrial purposes. ‘Although recent years have witnessed a sl ‘economy. For exampl hhas been operating at only afr yy picks up, the demand for energy turning (0 ts old level and most for hygienic resources and sub-standard health care in general hhave already noted a dramatic decline in life expectancy and an tral Europe. According to the developed eastern “on the basis of statistics recorded in Katowice, the count sd and by far the most polluted region, years shor Nearly fe damage in the Crusade Prior to environmental pollution by imposing pol 68 MAREK JAN CHODARIEWICZ nomically motivated indus! by holding a ry of independent civic and social acti 1980, and reinvigorated by the Chernobyl With the advent of Sov in the mideight spousal of environm tion of the post Commu enjoying a sizabl ecological concerns, In Januar Natural Eni logical regul the management mented by the March 1982 ly 1984 Act on Land Use tor into national econom o environmental protection was reit- roducing an environme: ical commiten fof June 1985 and January 1987, |AN ENVIRONMENTAL BATTLEGROUND: ECO POLITICS IN fOLAND 69 ‘These laws provided for the establishment of national dstret, and local to advance the cause of environmental protection. Howevei ‘Western observer of the Polish environmental scene remarked, this legi many instances constitutes a de facto obstacle to environmental conser vat ‘The enforcement of these laws was lax and their impact on economic planning. and environmental protection was negligible. This is one of the veasons for the according to Hillary French of the \Workdvatch Institute in Washington, D.C. As far as international agreement was participated in all of the Soviet Bloc ecological ventures, tical purposes, but was careful not 19 become entangled ghbal ecological commitments. For example, it rejected the 1985 Helsinki Protecol on acid rain, supposedly for economic reasons. Because spontaneity also had to be organized, according to the famous number of official environmentalist organiza: -. The largest organization was the Liga Ochrony ional commotion might lead one to believ sericus change was afoot in ‘camp, One must keep in mind, ever, that it was hard for the MarxistLeninist rulers to deal with envi issues because they were convinced, or appeared so until 1989, tal pollution observes the class principle and uherefore, dialectical afflicts only capitalist and “non socialist” countries. By the mid-1980s scientific evidence to the conteary was abundant 7 MAREK JAN cHODARIZWICR ique among the Soviet Bloc cou began keeping environ: 7 The scientific community was well aware of the pr ronment, as even a cursory search of any bi demonstrate. The government established a nunber of p tions, albeit under-equipped, and sent out special field teams to me tion. Additionally, the authorities allowed fon ecology to be hel ‘an exhaustive English language report was published Physics of Cracow concerning the impact of the Poland's health and environment. By the end af the 1 ing on environmental affairs were not 100 ‘West. There was even at least one joi studies, between byl nuclear disaster on Polish scholars writ. ny discouraged {rom publishing in pees ni ols univeriy pro \¢ Catholic University of Nimwegen and after a significant circulations that wer ronmental pollution al changes needed in Dy the mid-1980s so i own underground pi Refort on Materials Censored, ‘expunged cries for help for ‘cluded, in the issue for 16 and $1 March 1974, an otjec fest in Anin near Warsaw to make room for “recreational party Kleptocrats; an appeal to stop the environmental degradation of: analysis of Polish pe the Baltic a depiction of the destruction of forests ‘around Pulawy, and a call by lawyers co establish “a supraagency organ” for envi ronmental protection By the mid-1980s was perhaps the first fof this had changed. Wolf Oschilies, a German scholar, rasformation in the of the Polish Academy of S: d “on the verge of an ecological cat iament rejected the ‘The apparent ley about the environment hardly made a dentin the official economic po! ‘This was reflected in the Five Year Plan for 1985-1990: sported in 1987 that foreign debt, whi operated at 38 perc to change. The oppostion, however, did have the will and the program to change. R MAREK JAN CHODAKIEATCE Up from the Ecounderground For the unofficial iconmentalist movement, there were thice wa cian at the Dabrowka Mala Cl soning among some of her patients. The affected chil Katowice Szopienice lead smoldering plant, and Ds: Krol contacted the authorities about her findings. She was mocked and disparaged by thei, but two yeas la production was phased out in the most outdated part of the smelter” Beginning in 1977, the underground periedicals of the Ruch Obowy Praw "bywatela (ROCIO — The Movernent for the Defense of Human and Rights) and of the Komitet Samoobrony Spolwcanej ~ Komilet Obrony Robonikow (SS KOR — The Committee for Social Self Defense ~ The Committee to Defend Workers) concer fon exposing the worst environmental offenders, sulphur mine in Tarnobrzeg and the aluminum works in Ska The efforts of these dissidents were rewarded alo s crushed and delegal ‘many activists went underground. ecolog the Chernobyl disaster atastrophe had a great impact cn the nation’s health and envi- scene. Indeed, the pr rnobyl was heaven-sent for the moribund opposition in Pr at the government and, of course, at the Soviets. By 19 tions were involved in environmental protection. "Som semilegal and others illegal, according to Pol ind. People were angry tbout 2,000 organiza those groups were AN ENVIRONMENTAL BATTLEGROUND: ECO POLITICS IN POLAND 8 ‘The overwhelming majority of unofficial groups the powerful Roman Catholic ches the environment. For example, Septes influential Catholic. Weekly, Tygodnik Poussechny, calling for help for the environment Church also sponsored a few of the environmentalist groups direct impertant of these was the Chi Foundation, the Ford Foundation, which struggles to improve water qu uuyside ‘One of the most dynamic unofficial groups, however, was the Ruch “Wolnose § Polj” (WiP ~ Freedom composed mostly of young stu: ntactivists. Although initially organized in 1985 to stippart the tight of cox scientious abjectors, it quickly came to espouse ecology. According to the Western academic Sabrina P. Ramet, joyed protection und in the Polish coun: Iyakow, Gan Wroclaw, Stace, dnd Potnan) with six pubihing thee {ate of one to to Opposed to violence and force, i suned the we of these Of the more spectacul 1987 there were demon: Siechnice Steelworks near 2arnowiec, an sout:west Poland for the storage of waste." By the fall of 1988, the WiP began evolv more formal political structure called, from the title of its periodical, the Ceas Pryly (The Future Tense) and began championing the environment. Of the more important regional environmentalist groups, there was the Grupa Robwcca d/s Ochrony Srodowiska (Working Group for Environmental Protection) created in May 1986 in Wroclaw, Lower Silesia, by the Warsaw based Social Committee of Science and Social Committee on Health. ‘The Working Grovp focused mainly on publishing environmentalist neas in its periodi Zagrezenie (Threat), hoping thus to influence the local community. In Lubh also in May 1986, the Niecalezna Komisja Ekologicana (The Independent Ecologi Commission) announced its existence. And in Gdansk is Porouunienie Grupy Nizaleanych *Wolnote" (The Alliance of the Group Independent “Freedom” began publishing Eko Redula (Eco Fortress). Most of the regional groups proved to be rather ephemeral. However, Cracow’s Polish Ecological Club and the Polish Ecological Party, which shired member more resilient. In 1987, 1 post Chernobyl mome proposing to drop its political demands and work together wi ” MAREK JAN CHODALIEWICE fon economic and ecological the offer for the time being and continued its ther own negoitng gro The resulting agreements expounded nthe Povo ol Round Table” Eastern Europe ‘mental pl This was approach to environ: sor ecoctiminals ist groups pooled their resources togethe Ehologicany (The Social Ecological coordinate pro-environment iamentary elections in 1991, there were 9B legally registered ese, including two wor Out of the remaining 91, at least 11 explicitly expressed mer were: Chraetijanska iajansho-Demokratycane Sironicwo Pracy Odrodsmie Narodowe Centrum (National ka Partia Preyaciol Piwa,(Polish Peasant Party); Portia Wolnosei ‘Ruch na Reecz Autonomé Slaska (The Movement for the Autonomy 1); Sogjaldemokvasja Reecrypospolily Polskie Sw Nando Seven among tion. The Cracow based Ekologicena Unia Dena Democrats) boasted 15,000 members and its roots ¢ iced back to the local eco-underground of the 1980s, The Niealezna Federagja Bol lependent Ecclogical Federation), with 250) members, was mos jon of the veteran antiCommunist and populist party Konfederaca Polski [AN ENVIRONMENTAL BATTLEGROUND: ECO-POLITICS POLAND 6 to environmentalism and the latter partner tracing its origins to Poland’s first ‘environmentalist party, founded in 1988. The Polskie Sronniciwo Ekologicane (The Polish Ecological Party) was a minuscule regional grouping of 30 people, also a newcomer. The Polshe Unia Bkolagicena (The Polish Ecological Union) was a cohe- sive alliance of the old eco-nnomenclature, with a membership of 6000, including ), representing 6000 (sand uniquely chose net to Union)” For example, according to a Western source, on May 21, 194, the shadow cabinet of the opposition Union of Freedsm included a post for the environment” In the meantime the media, independent scholars, and extraparliamentary ‘surveys show that hy provenviron: ment trend among the voters in the country. On the other hand, the p take pains not to antagonize those voters who would become unemployed if envi 6 MAREK JAN CHONAKIEWICZ rules of the game have changed, bureaucratic maneuvers, Poland resolves democratic process. ts environmental isues through manage the environment and the subsequ ed in the ecological roundtable debates of 1989, Some of the Euidelines for the management of the environment established in the course of ‘the negotiations were fine tuned in governmen,, parliamentary, and extrapar mentary debates, a5 the process of democratization and. international coopera. tion accelerated under the four consecutive Solidarity governments between ‘August 1989 and September 1993, ‘The reformers believed that the fice market econom tute the Soviet-style socialist one, however, tetsining a relatively large, alb theory discreet, role of the state o protect the environment. Wit social, economic, administrative, and legal policy tools would be effect environmentally sound practices According to these reformers, private and pablic, as well as local a environmental protection agencies, groups, organizations, and self gov bodies should participate in ongoing ecological discourse, shapi system should s tuted and suppor 1uld be established and enforced to pro: level; appropriate lave tect natural resources and punish environment capital goods, including natural resources, ‘The same holds for the cost oftheir expl ducti referring to “on the of h, in a sustainable manner, pre- ‘manner of consump and production id resources of the ef of natural habitats policy report." | Environmental Policy" issued by y of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry of the 1st Solidarity government, under Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, beneficial wo adesing sciety’s socal and economic need there le comimon grovnd between a sustaiable development policy snd the economic intrest of the cauauy. Closing the ensting tecnica gaps between hae Furthermore, on May 10, 1991, the parliament pasted wo important bil “Regarding Ecological Policy” and °Reguiing the Execution of the Law on Both bills were ringing fenoincemens of the Communi legacy of palltion, nd both endorsed ecolevlopmeng” decenaliation of the environmental eft, a substitution of propiyacic for remedial approaches pollution. “The pariament recom: mie iy government under Pine Minister Jan Rraystot argent perusal of the egaladiasraie mechanisms guarancing abeyance of the ecological we in September 1991, the apes "The Ecological Policy ofthe Sate the administration to “ecodevelopment” “The dociment di not diverge niga es act up by predeceso hy Poland in § guite advanced in its work on ‘on the protection of the environment, ‘The administrative tools to implement th days, were altered and expanded on the cet ‘mens, perhaps unwisel Rescure deputy and is advised by, Boards for Water Managemer Protection and Water Management ‘The Ministry is also responsible for central activities of ec ike leg: islaton drafting, parliamentary lobbying, and international networking. However, in a departure from Communist practice, the top provincial adminis: 78 MAREK JAW CHoDANEWICZ ots wield the right, for example, 0 e their dist and to set lower adm id leposited Stodowiska i Gospodarki Wodney (The National Fun and Water Management) lover 1.2 percent of the GNP, whereas ronmental expendi nof dusts fell by 35 perce; by 30 percent; and of nitrogen oxide by 25 percent ame of unfiltered and unprocessed waste w: elf government bodies, |AN ENVIRONMENTAL BATILEGROUND, ECOFOLITICS I POLAND 9 water purifying and sewage treatment plants were under construction. A farther Gecrease of water pollution by 40 percent is expected upon completion of the pro jects Additionally, in 1903 Poland's frst water desalination plant was opened for the Debiensko coal mine. Industrial solid waste decreased by 81 percent because of novel recycling prac- For example, sever n Silesia participate in a pilot program to refill abandoned shafts wit agement improved for recycling. In addi the so-called “environmental police.” Between 1992 and 1998 the "environmer 3.500 raids, which resulted {approximately $50 protection are most impressive jects are concerned. The overall progress of ing to the Suchocka government for influential among acquired] considerable influen« in Eastern European economies, especial ‘ever, have managed to readjust ‘Now, with the Communists back i control over government contracts lish informal economic monops log cal laws have increased signif pa is to circumvent the tough eco: ly. Compounded with their impunity for mes, they now like the system very much. 80 MAREK JAN CHODARIENCE Others experience much greater difficulty in making the tansition. Many workers, especially coal miners and steel work he necessary changes ‘remuneration, asin the case of the co: Similar sentiments were voiced by the locals at Nowa Huta near Cracow, the si ion's worst ecological offender, the (former) Lenin Steelworks. Whe ‘dey answered that they he opposed its eco. campaigned to close Polish Party of the Greens stl Steelworks Representing the postComm no friend of the environment. Some of environment directly, whereas others will have no direct impa lant ones are the personnel changes in the bureaucracy, a central authorities to local self-government after a Uiorough and sweeping purge cf reform government has reinstated the old nomenclature and lowers in key positions people who lacked the p: ‘counted upon to cor the government ts delegating the attitude of the post Communist pparatehik camp fol roughout Poland's administration. They are the same i wil to implemen: reforms in the past and they can n of numerous water projects, so successfully managed by local self governments throughout v ‘The International Factor Foreign Pollution and Cooperation ‘The environmental picture of Poland would not be complete AW ENVIRONMENTAL BATTLEGROUND: ECOPOLITICS INPOLAND, 81 pollution is more than leat problem, even in Gent Europe where local emision so ‘more days inthe asonphere, th ure, Ths leads to 2 widespre Ensen Europe At poled ant rational” p reaches as far as Spain, and some even hold it part responsible for the so-called “black snow" phenomenon in Scotland, A German scholar estimates that Poland accounts for nearly 60 percent of air pole former Czechoslovakia and East Germany, Howev ar, bout 50 percent of atmospheric sulphur ‘countries. Another Polish source claims ions from them. Poland dumps: Grech Republic 72,000 tons of airborne the Sudety Mountains where the borders of Poland, public merge. The main offender is power plants: ten of them in Germany, se Poland, the Turow power ‘ed countries joined forces ing pI cernzed and by the year 2000, sulphur dioxide emission vi canly reduced, if not eliminated. As far as the international factor in the pollution of the Baltic Sea is con ‘cerned, its roots reach fo the Second World War and its afte-math when Germans and Russians sank large quantities of weapons and ammunition. In one instance ‘over 40,000 tons were dumped into the ses. Especially worslaome is the presence of chemical weapons among them. So far, the war material waste has aflected ‘monly fishermen, but there was a least one instance of a sea mine washing ashore ‘on a Danish beach, and several cases of containers wi Polish beaches. A number of people suffered burns whie phosphorus, mistaken for amber, on Baltic beaches. Most importantly, there have 30 been unconfirmed reports of radioactive vaste buried at sea by There is an international effort under way to 1990. groups from Scandinavia, Germany, R of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined forces prosperous countries pledged to underw necessary programs. cy MAREK JAN GHODAKIEWICZ Similar measures will be employed to Dorderland rivers, the Odra, Nysa, and Olza th water pollution in Poland's and the Bug, Narew, of independ: both sides was immediate. Even clean up the Polish-Czech ecological the case with, for exampl 1986, and al 1987. After much in 1998, but the case of the coking plant is stil pending, Two years earlier, che Czech and Slovak Fede: Poland regarding good neighborly n signed weaties wi ions, which included environmental ¢ ‘date. Only the recent Olza ac 1eF negotiations between the Czech Republic and Poland to regu issues between the two sides. Ithas already proven fruitful. An igned on May the amount of $57 ‘owed to the Czech Repub che environmental protection projects in ce mal contact between uno! Europe have been more cor from Ukraine, solved to combine their efforts to protect the Carps Since the country’s reuni Germany. Simpl ceavironment and, unlike the Pol nological means to execute that agenda, Problems concerning Western lent what one observer dubbed “eco-colo waste and polluting technologies into the county by unserupul hnessmen, mostly Westerners, and their Polish partners Beginning in 1988, the Austrian Industriealall Verwertungsgesllichaf, LAV, aided by its Polish associates in Lode and Cracow, imported about 50 tons of chemical industrial was

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