Speech by H.E. Marcin Korolec, the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Poland, at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue

Your Excellency Chancellor Angela Merkel
Honorable Ministers
Ladies and gentlemen

Allow me to begin by saying what a pleasure it is to address this honorable gathering today. I am happy and look forward to co-chairing
this year’s Petersberg Dialogue with my friend and colleague - Minister Peter Altmaier.

We are gearing up to welcoming COP19/CMP9 in Warsaw in six months. Poland does have much to offer.

The ultimate objective of the Convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations and prevent dangerous interference with the climate system. It should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable economic development to
proceed in a sustainable manner.

Climate change is a fact. Two days ago we saw a devastating tornado near Bologna. In my country and in Germany heavy snowfall in April paralyzed transport system.

The science requires keeping the rise of global temperature below two degrees Celsius. To achieve this goal we all need to act. This action must be taken in line with the Convention's principles. We need involvement of public and private actors. Of industry, business, cities and civil society.

The world needs a significant shift in its development paradigm. And that is where Poland can offer its experience. Over the last twenty years we doubled our GDP and, at the same time, reduced our emissions by thirty percent. This would not be possible without access to technologies, new IT systems, efficiency oriented management and customized trainings.
We are continuously undertaking further efforts. Last year our emissions dropped nearly 1,5% and the GDP grew by more than 2%. It is not easy. But it is doable.

We have a Polish saying “Dla chcącego nic trudnego”. Some of you know it as: If there is a will, there is a way.

The time has come to find solutions. Solutions that are affordable and that promote prosperity. By being creative, the World can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting economic growth and ensuring better life standards. We need to be prepared for 9 billion people on this planet. People, who deserve decent and secure life.

The time has come to usher in a new age of green economies and truly sustainable development. Countries must grow and reduce carbon footprint as they create new jobs and alleviate poverty. All economies, those developed and emerging, must continue to sustain and tend to their populations’ needs while decoupling growth from the use of natural resources.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, what does the world expect from Warsaw? What does it expect from all of us?

Since the beginning of this year myself and my team have been meeting with many Parties. Let me thank for all the views that you shared with us. Most of all, we heard that your expectation for Warsaw is:

• to lay the foundation able to support the functions and the structure of the future agreement;
• to develop and adopt a strategy for expeditious implementation of the already taken decisions on among others - adaptation, capacity building, technology cooperation and financial mechanism;
• to build up confidence in the process - transparent, inclusive, open to everybody, instilling in Parties and in other stakeholders a sense of ownership.

I came here to listen, to consult, to learn from you. Moving in the right direction while hearing the voice of each and everyone will be the guiding principle of the incoming Polish Presidency of COP19/CMP9 in the run up to Warsaw conference.

We have all committed to reaching the agreement in 2015.
That is our will.
We now need to find the way.

I thank you.