The Green Deal is an opportunity for Polish farmers, commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski assures Commentary Polish farmers should not be afraid of the Green Deal, nor of the pro-ecological solutions being planned for the EU’s agricultural policy, because they are an opportunity for them, not a threat, argues Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture during a Citizens' Dialogue. He believes that the epidemic has shown highly intensive agriculture to be more susceptible to crises. The online meeting with the public was held on April 30. By Ewa Jakubowska-Lorenz
Crisis is gendered. Women in the times of pandemic Analysis The crisis associated with the Covid19 pandemic has a gender, and clearly shows social inequalities of all kinds. It particularly affects women, as well as disadvantaged and variously marginalised groups. There are also attempts to exploit the pandemic for short-term political goals directly targeting women's rights. By Elżbieta Korolczuk
Discussing the future of nuclear industry in Poland Report Over the last year Poland has observed a renewed interest in an idea to develop its civil nuclear program. With the translation of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) and organising the visit to Warsaw of Mycle Schneider, its lead author, hbs Warsaw and the Institute for Sustainable Development decided to bring international experience with nuclear energy to the debate about the future of Polish energy system. The visit took place in the first days of March. Exactly at the time when the coronavirus crisis has reached Poland. By Piotr Trzaskowski
Push or pull? How to restart European asylum policy Report Twenty years after the Tampere European Council of 1999, where political guidelines on the cooperation between the fields of immigration, police and justice were discussed and set, 30 civil societies and municipalities from Germany, France, Poland, Italy and other EU member states are calling for a new start in European asylum and migration policy. By Gert Röhrborn
Broadening the just transition debate Report At the end of June, in the Warsaw office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, an incredible group of women met. A dozen female activists from two coal-mining regions – the Konin area and Silesia – came together to discuss how to make the voices of women better heard in the debate about ecological transformation. In order to find answers, they used a lot of their own wisdom and… Lego bricks. By Piotr Trzaskowski
They lived in fear of deportation, now they’re going into politics. Who are “the undocumented”? Report They live quietly and discreetly, doing the jobs that others don’t want, usually in the grey economy and for poor pay. They learn to avoid risks: they go home late and don’t stay in too long, in order to avoid any migration service visits. But despite the risk, or perhaps because of it, many are choosing to become politically active. These are their stories. By Anna Kiedrzynek
Agriculture Atlas: the changes needed in agricultural policy, in simple terms Relacja The European agricultural policy requires environmental and social sustainability, and broad public debate. Such a change is only possible if EU funds mainly support farms – small and medium-sized ones in particular – that care about the environment, produce healthy food and sustain quality jobs. By Ewa Jakubowska-Lorenz
2019 Cohort of Transatlantic Media Fellows Announcement We are excited to announce our selection of Transatlantic Media Fellows for 2019. Within the framework of the Transatlantic Media Fellowships we cooperate with our Office in Washington, DC. As a part of the programme, we support committed journalism by offering stipend for journalists for a travel to the United States to research stories relevant to the foundation’s work on climate and energy policy, democracy and social policy, or foreign and security policy.
Breathing room for freedom: How to benefit from digitalization rather than fear it Article The EU General Data Protection Regulation was not only a victory for citizens concerned about their rights, but also a Green political success. By Dr. Ellen Ueberschär
Coalitions as a key to a just transformation Report The second meeting of the French–German–Polish Forum on European Structural Change, which is devoted to European structural changes in the energy sector, took place in Katowice on the 3rd and 4th of December 2018. The aim of the meeting was to provide concrete examples of just transitions in different stages; to see best practices in Silesia and explore the differences between cities By Katarzyna Ugryn and Silvia Weco