The Ministry of Climate of Poland has released an update of its energy strategy by 2040. It intends to reduce the share of coal in its power generation to 37% in 2030 (up to 56% in the worst scenario) and to 11% in 2040 (28% in the worst scenario). The policy document is yet to be approved by the Council of Ministers. A previous draft, released in November 2019, targeted a decrease of coal’s share in power generation to 56%-60% in 2030 and to 28% in 2040. In 2019, power generation from coal and lignite accounted for almost 3/4 of the total power mix.
Poland's updated strategy also considers developing a nuclear power project that could start commercial operations in 2033. The nuclear plant would have an installed capacity standing between 1 GW and 1.6 GW. At later stage, Poland plans to deploy 6-9 GW of nuclear capacity, requiring a total investment of PLN150bn (€34bn). In addition, it plans to build 8 to 11 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2040, with investment estimated at PLN130bn (€29bn).
Poland is the only European Union member country that has not endorsed a net-zero carbon target by 2050. According to a study by the government's Polish Economic Institute (PEI), Poland could achieve climate neutrality by 2056. Under a pessimistic scenario, the country would reach net zero emissions by 2067.