Although EU politicians as well as many entrepreneurs and consumers recognise the need for green transition and its development potential, there are also questions about the manner and speed of its implementation. There is also plenty of concern about the cost of change to achieve climate neutrality for the EU economy by 2050. The related opportunities and fears were discussed in Karpacz by participants in the debate entitled ‘The green transition: A driving force or a threat to our industry?’.
Growth and fewer emissions
Viktor Elbling, German ambassador to Poland, talked about the driving force that the green transition can be for innovation and the EU economy. As he reminded, recent decades have shown that economic growth can be combined with reduced emissions; since the early 1990s, the European economy has grown by 60% while reducing emissions by 20%. The need for sustainable development based on renewable energy sources has also been confirmed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has drawn attention to the risks associated with Russian gas supplies.
According to Viktor Elkbing, many companies are prepared for the transition, including German companies investing in Poland, which want to rely more and more on clean energy. Poland is likely to become a major energy producer of green hydrogen, which can play a key role in the development of the energy industry and which is increasingly important in Germany.
At the same time, the green transition means having to adapt to numerous regulations. This requires large investments, and also increases production costs in Europe.
Lars Gutheil, Director General of the German-Polish Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who chaired the debate, drew attention to the phenomenon of the relocation of parts of production from Europe to China. Participants in the debate repeatedly mentioned the example of China, which in a short space of time has grown into a global player in the electric car market.
