Health Effects of Coal in Poland Dwarf Concerns About Windmiils

The party leading the polls to take charge of the Polish Parliament (Law and Justice) has a campaign to fight wind farms in Poland. They complain about their aesthetics and possible noise issues for immediate neighbors. Law and Justice wants to ban wind farms in most of Poland by placing restrictions on their siting.

This is an amazingly hypocritical viewpoint all things considered. Wind energy is gradually replacing coal in most of Europe. It could reduce coal burning in Poland as well. Even the Pope has weighed in on the need for a "rapid transition" away fro coal energy.

The observed effects of burning coal in Poland are not in dispute:

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that poor air quality resulting from low emissions in Poland is the reason why an average of 48 thousand. premature deaths a year and shorten life by an average of 10 months. Link.


Law and Justice proclaims that it is the Christian party and is comprised of many devote Catholics. I have enormous difficulty justifying their position on coal in Poland with their professed faith.

Besides the economic disaster that coal-fired power plants are becoming, there is a compelling case of their rapid phase-out. No one is listening in Poland.

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