Polish Chamber of Commerce EKOROZWÓJ

1. Promoting sustainable development (SD) Andrzej Jagusiewicz, PhD Director for International Cooperation Polish Chamber of Commerce EKOROZWÓJ

2. Chamber’s business card Creation of the Chamber in October 1997 at the meeting of „the founding fathers” e.g. economic entities and physical persons Registration in court in October 2003 (KRS) Membership open to physical and legal persons, citizen’s organizations (NGOs), associations, self-governmental organizations and foundations (at present > 60 members) Geographical coverage of activities: nation-wide and regional (filiales)>extention to EU and EECCA countries (Ukraine) Statutes adopted in June 2004 following the Act on Economic Chambers of 1989

3. Inside the Chamber:our organs General Assembly of the Members (1/year) Management Board (5-9 persons)>Bureau Council (advisory role) Auditing Committee (5 persons) Ombudsman (solving disputes) Jury of “Green Laurel” (7-12 persons) Key persons are highly skilled with long-lasting and succesful carrier and necessary experience in all domains

4. Statutory tasks and obligations Advocating economic interest of its members and supporting their production, service and commercial activities related to sustainable development Promoting international cooperation and facilitating joint undertakings for its members Servicing its members through information and consulting in line with SD principles Promoting and implementing sustainable development in doing business at local level (patronage over communes)

5. Ways and means of acting for SD Business advising in line with National Ecological Policy and EU challenges Helping to identify and create effective and competent partnership>consortia>coalition Consulting and expertise services, mainly devoted to the communes and their unions under Chamber's patronage Information exchange and SD education From opportunities to possibilities to making business

6. Environmental market in Poland: driving forces Accession Treaty>acquis communautaire 6 th Environmental Action Plan (EAP) covering the period 2000-2010>4 priorities National Ecological Policy (NEP); cyclical for 4 years with prospects for another 4 (present NEP for 2007-2010) 7 Thematic Strategies of the EU and related directives (updated in 2006 SD Strategy) 7 th Framework Programme (focus on environmental technologies)

7. Self-governmental oligations in the field of environmental protection Environmental Protection Programme at poviat and/or commune level (EPP)>prerequisite to get financing for specific projects Project proposal to be consulted inter alia with economic organizations e.g. chambers (EKOROZWÓJ) Harmonization with other existing programmes at poviat level like waste management, water protection, noise protection and cultural heritage protection Requirements and scope of poviat EPP (3 parts: own tasks, coordinated tasks and their external financing and guide to communal EPP) Requirements and scope of commune EPP (2 parts: own tasks and coordinated tasks to be financed externally and by enterprises)

8. ABC of ecological financing Financial institutions: government (budget), enterprises, Ecofund, National Fund of Environmental Protection and Water Management and its branches, Norwegian and EEA Mechanism and others Financial schemes or closing the gap from available sources (own, EU and outside EU) Forms of financing: credits, preference credits (10-30%), grants, debt remitting, bank quaraties etc. Best opportunities (Operational Programme „Infrastructure and Environment” for 2007-2013, 16 Regional Operational Programmes, Programme for Developing Rural Areas, Life+ and ECOFUND)

9. Priority areas for getting funds National Fund and its filiales>own priorities established by the Fund's Council ECOFUND>own priorities and fast tracks Operational Programme „Infrastructure and Environment”>water management and waste-water treatment, waste maqnagement, nature protection and environmental risk management Norwegian and EEA Mechanism>emission reduction, renewable energy, SD promotion and enforcement of administration

10. Financial perspectives Operational Programme „Infrastructure and Environment”>5,5 billion euro (water management and waste-water treatment: 2,75, waste management: 1.19, nature protection: 0,54 and environmental risk management: 90 million) Norwegian and EEA Mechanism>177 million euro emission reduction and renewable energy: 34, enforcement of administration: 5 and SD promotion: 2,5) ECOFUND>200 million US$ for 2007-2009 (waste-water treatment: 40 %, waste management:35 %, climate change: 15 %..) National Fund>annual decision by the Council

11. Case study-air quality Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and CAFE Directive Short-term target>100 programmes of air protection (PAP) against PM 10 at poviat level(20 by end of 2006 and 80 by end of 2007), cost of programme 100-300 thousand PLN, cost o measures billions PLN Medium-term target>unknown yet number of PAP with respect to PM 2,5, nitrogen dioxide and benzene Long-term target>Average Exposure Reduction to PM 2,5 by 20 % in 2020/2010

12. Conclusions Polish economy is in constant expansion Lack of energy diversity>coal dominates primary energy market Problems to meet EU carbon, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides ceilings Good prospects to coal conversion, biofuels, renewable energy and nuclear energy as well. Environmental market is wide-open Growing needs for innovative technology

13. Chamber's future We are ready to support still more our members in order to put them on the way of sustainable development Our members are ready to cooperate with foreign company and help them to enter the prosperous environmental market The Chamber is aware of coming environmental challenges and ready to cope with them according to the SD principles

14. Motto:we are useful because we listen to our members and our clients Thank you for your attentionandrzej.jagusiewicz@stop-cafe.eu