Polish Green Recovery Tour

The Polish Green Recovery Tour, co-organised by the European Green Party and the Polish Greens, will be held in 16 cities in Poland.

Between 17 September 2021 and 15 January 2022, the Recovery campaign will visit every voivodeship in Poland with a street exhibition on key topics of the Green Recovery that relate to the European and national context. Public panels and side meetings will be organised in each city alongside the exhibition.

Each debate will feature a topic that is relevant or closely linked to post-Pandemic recovery in Europe and Poland and will host national and international speakers, including Members of the European and national parliaments, EGP committee members, mayors, academia, NGOs, activists and civil society. All tour events are open to the public.

The opening event will be held on 18 September in Warsaw, Poland. Join us!

👉 Follow the Facebook event to keep up with our upcoming activities

Warsaw, 18 September 2021 Green Recovery

We are in the midst of possibly the biggest global crisis. The European Union has made an important step by establishing a common Recovery Fund to help societies recover and make them more resilient to future crises. But how can we shape a truly green recovery that boosts a transition to a better world for future generations? 

In this public panel we will first examine the European Union’s response to the crisis and discuss whether it is going in the right direction. National governments were obliged to prepare their national recovery plans in line with environmental, social, and digital targets – but are the planned measures actually green, inclusive and just?

In the second part, we will take a closer look at the Polish national recovery plan and examine whether it provides citizens with the support they need and the measures that are best suitable for the country. We will discuss how the recovery should take care of the most vulnerable groups of society and their economic safety. Our guiding principle will be to question constant GDP growth as the only economic goal. It is a relic of the past and we now know it is not a good way of measuring progress.

Moderator: Krzysztof Rzyman (Member of Partia Zieloni, author of Zielony Podcast – Green Podcast)

Speakers:

• Małgorzata Tracz (Member of Polish Parliament)
• Urszula Zielińska (Member of Polish Parliament), PhD
• Zbiginew Karaczun (Associate Professor Warsaw University of Life Sciences)
• Vula Tsetsi (European Green Party Committee member)
• Ernest Urtasun (Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA)
• Thomas Waitz (Co-chair of the European Gren Party, Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA)

Lublin, 20 September 2021: Shared Recovery

We're in a very difficult time when it comes to taking in migrants and refugees. The number of people in need is only going to increase and we're already struggling with just a few. During this panel we will discuss what steps we should take as the European Union to ensure global solidarity. We will take a closer look at the role of national governments in moments where migrants and refugees are reaching out for help.   

Furthermore, we will look at the cost of human rights violations in Poland and how that can affect its ability to recover after the pandemic. In the past, many cities have not received EU funds because of their stance towards LGBT+ communities. But these are not the only costs we will have to bear. Poland already suffered a huge political cost when it decided not to help refugees. Now we have an opportunity for an inclusive and just recovery that leaves no one behind. 

• Urszula Zielińska (Member of Polish Parliament)
• Tomasz Buczek (Founder of the Artsakh Foundation)
• Alina Czyżewska (Member of the Watchdog Poland Citizens Network)
• Laura Kwoczała (Co-chair of Ostra Zieleń Association)
• Jean Lambert (European Green Party Committee member)

Rzeszów, 24 September 2021: Forests

Forests are a powerful natural resource that have a positive effect on the climate and soil. Poland is one of the countries experiencing deforestation on a huge scale. Despite having one of the biggest forest coverages in Europe, it has one of the smallest protected areas. This has prompted grassroots movements to fight for the protection of green areas, especially the for the establishment of Turnicki National Park.  

The Recovery needs to be a Green Recovery. Protecting the natural environment should be our first priority in all future investments. During this panel, we will discuss how to better protect forests through the measures available in the Recovery fund, taking a closer look at those in the Polish national plan. 

Furthermore, we will explore how NGOs can influence the decision process when it comes to cutting down trees and creating new protected areas. It is also worth asking what distinguishes Poland from other Member States in these matters.

Moderator: Tomasz Lignar (spokesperson of Partia Zieloni in Rzeszów)

Speakers:

• Tomasz Aniśko (Member of Polish Parliament), PhD
• Antoni Kostka (Expert of Fundacja Dziedzictwo Przyrodnicze, natural heritage foundation)
• Marta Jagusztyn (Co-founder of the Forests and Citizens initiative), Katarzyna Kubiczek (Greenpeace activist)
• Thomas Waitz (Co-chair of the European Green Party, Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA)

Kraków, 25 September 2021: Urban Recovery

Green urban planning leads to cleaner, safer, and more liveable cities. Sustainable public transport and walkable neighbourhoods mean less time spent on commute and easier access to services. More green spaces improve air quality.

Krakow has been struggling with the issue of air quality, and it has put the lives of the residents at risk for too long. We can’t wait to provide solutions; we need to explore how the recovery funds can be used to combat air pollution. We cannot waste any more time or money on ideas that will not lead us towards cleaner air and a healthier society.

In this panel, we will explore how the Recovery fund can be used to boost public transport transformation. We will examine good practices from projects in other European cities.  We will also discuss how green urban investments can improve public transport in Poland and in Kraków to create a cleaner, more sustainable, accessible and efficient means of transport

Moderator: Wojciech Blecharczyk (Smart City specialist, Krakow)

Speakers:

• Tomasz Aniśko (Member of Polish Parliament)
• Julia Rokicka (Local councillor of Partia Zieloni)
• Marek Kwiatkowski (Local leader of the Stop Smog organisation)
• Oras Tynkkynen (European Green Party Committee member
• Elke van den Brandt (Minister for Mobility, Public Works and Road Safety in Brussels)

Kielce, 2 October 2021: Education

In the post-pandemic reality, we need to pay attention to adapting education to the challenges ahead. From the perspective of an increased digitalisation, it is worth considering how individual countries have dealt with remote learning and how to improve the level of digitization in schools.

During the first part of our panel, we will focus on the need to introduce climate education in every Member State. We have realized during the pandemic that schools are not at all prepared for remote learning, and will be discussing this.

In the second part, we will look at the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of European students. How can this challenge be met, and what is the role of the European Union in this matter?

Furthermore, reproductive, health education and environmental education are still lacking in many Member States. We will therefore fight for the reconstruction to be Green, inclusive and digital, especially when it comes to preparing young generations for the future.

Moderator: Agnieszka Kuźba (Fundacja Bezpieczne Gniazdo - Safe Nest)

Speakers:

• Urszula Zielińska (Member of Polish Parliament)
• Beata Bilska (Correct Education President)
• Dorota Zawadzka (Developmental Psychologist)

Łódź, 3 October 2021: Feminist Recovery

Women whose competencies are undervalued and very often underpaid represent the biggest share of the workers in essential services. During this panel, we will discuss how the decline in the women's labour force participation during the pandemic could have been avoided, and what the long-term consequences for these women’s personal and professional situations are.

We will also look at the European Union’s legislation that combats gender-based violence, which has increased significantly during the pandemic.

Thirdly, we will take a closer look at the women's rights situation in Poland. The Polish government decided to ban the right to abortion during the pandemic. Just months ago, the government withdrew from the Istanbul convention, which protects women from domestic violence. Polish women have had to face increased discrimination, attacks on their fundamental rights and inequality in workplaces during the pandemic.

We need to discuss ways in which the European Union can support women and how the Recovery funding can support justice and equality.

Moderator: Magdalena Gałkiewicz (Member of the Association of Gals4Gals Łódź)

Speakers:

• Małgorzata Tracz (Member of Polish Parliament), PhD
• Krystyna Piątkowska (Academic teacher at Laboratory of Practical Anthropology, Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology Łódź,)
• Agata Kobylińska (Activist in the Association of Gals4Gals Lodz)
• Ida Mickiewicz-Florczak (Centre of Women’s Rights, Łódź)

Katowice, 8 October 2021: Energy transition

Europe needs a just and clean energy transition! Many European countries have been lagging behind and the Green Recovery, and now is our chance to catch-up. We need to make brave investments that can lead us towards a greener and more sustainable future.

During the panel, we will talk about different energy mix pathways that can lead us towards a carbon neutral future. There are plenty of European countries that are well on their way to completing the transformation, so we will look at their solutions and how we can speed up transformation in other countries, such as Poland. 

We will also touch upon the fact that many other European countries have a much higher potential to generate renewable power, and whether it would be possible to move towards a European Union energy policy instead of a national one. One solution would be to share energy resources between member states to use our natural capabilities more efficiently.

Moderator: Jaga Kolawa (Journalist, Member of Partia Zieloni in Katowice)

Speakers:

• Małgorzata Tracz (Member of Polish Parliament), PhD
• Piotr Skubała (Biological sciences professor at Silesian University), PhD
• Andrzej Kassenberg (Co-founder of The Institute for Sustainable Development), PhD
• Alicja Zdziechiewicz (Member of the Silesia Climate Movement)
• Patryk Białas (City councillor in Katowice and lawyer specialising in regional development)

Poznań, 15 October 2021: Animal rights

In March 2020, 42 Members of the European Parliament sent a letter to the European Commission to suspend the transportation of live animals. It was a reaction not only to cruel exploitation of animals but also to the scientifically proven fact that the way the animals are treated over the years has had devastating consequences for our climate and health.

During this panel, we will discuss why the suspension of all exports of live animals is necessary to prevent future pandemics and health crises. his panel will take a closer look at possible ways to revise the animal transport directive. In Europe, we’re still on our way to bringing justice and freedom to all animals. We will explore the role of fur farms and industrial farming in the struggle to fight climate change, and how we can urgently make changes in these sectors.

Moderator: Michał Stasiak (Animal rights activist and chairman of the Partia Zieloni Poznań)

Speakers:

• Małgorzata Tracz (Member of Polish Parliament)
• Ewa Zgrabczyńska (ZOO Director in Poznań)
• Malwina Malinowska (Coordinator in VIVA Foundation)
• Thomas Waitz (Co-chair of the European Green Party and Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA)

Wrocław, 16 October 2021: Culture

One of the areas of life most affected by the pandemic is culture. In planning a Green recovery, there must be a space for culture that is accessible to all and whose activities are supported by those in power.

During this panel, we will look at the role of artists and cultural institutions in preparing European societies for challenges related to climate change, the increasing wave of nationalism and queerphobia, migrations, and other challenges we are facing today.

Secondly, we will evaluate if European governments provide enough protection to artists, cultural workers and infrastructure, as well as enable equal access to culture for all. We will hear from artists themselves, sharing how the pandemic has affected their work and lives.

Wrocław is the capital of Polish literature. It’s here that Olga Tokarczuk, winner of the Nobel Prize and a spokeswoman for Green values, established her foundation. In her Noble Prize speech, Tokarczuk called for reflection on the quality of interpersonal relations and our attitude towards nature. Tenderness is the author’s proposed response to today’s challenges. We hope to host you here and discuss the importance of culture in our lives.

Moderator: Michał Suchora (Member of the Partia Zieloni, activist and cultural manager)

Speakers:

• Małgorzata Tracz (Member of Polish Parliament)
• Marek Beylin (Journalist, author)
• Iza Duchnowska (City's cultural manager)
• Jana Szostak (Belarus human rights activist, artist)
• Niklas Nienass (Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA)

Bydgoszcz, 30 October 2021: Rule of Law

The rule of law is crucial to ensure a stable democracy, social justice and domestic peace. Equally important is the confidence that citizens have in state institutions and their representatives. Good governance and the fight against corruption require oversight not just from institutions, but also from civil society. In countries such as Poland and Hungary, pandemics were used to circumvent the rule of law and democracy deteriorated even more.

During this event we will look at how we as a society should fight for the rule of law to be restored in the most affected countries in Europe. From the perspective of the pandemic, we need to consider how to strengthen EU and Polish law to prepare for the upcoming challenges. How can the rule of law ensure equality, protect the most vulnerable, and save the environment?

Moderator: Aleksandra Malich (Journalist, human rights and rule of law activist)

Speakers:

• Urszula Zielińska (Member of Polish Parliament), PhD
• Andrzej Kompa, (Academic teacher, human rights, democracy and climate activist)
• Sylwester Jankowski (Member of Partia Zieloni, rule of law expert)
• Daniel Freund (Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA)
• Sergey Lagodinski (Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA)

Gdańsk, 13 November 2021: European Unity

The pandemic has shown that the European Union must lead in being a symbol of unity. During this panel we will talk about tools and actions that can deepen our Union. Recently we’ve seen responses of several governments that questioned the purpose of the Union, as opposed to the benefits of national sovereignty. But isolation is not a cure for the impact of a pandemic.

What instruments are there to strengthen our sense of community and shared responsibility? How can we guide this recovery towards an ever-deeper Union? In Poland, the pandemic has been used to wage war against women and minorities. The free media was attacked, and the government turned its back on refugees. How can we address this?

We will also look at why Poland stands out from European countries in its approach to the European Union. It is worth analyzing the reasons Poland decided to violate EU law and at what cost to the country.

Moderator: Marek Weryszko (Co-chair or Partia Zieloni Gdańsk)

Speakers: 

• Urszula Zielińska (Member of Polish Parliament)
• Michał Tomczak (Lawyer, anti-communist opposition activist)
• Sława Rafalak (Editor of Video-KOD)
• Przemek Janas (Member of the Citizens of Poland - Obywatele RP- movement)
• Ewa Topór-Nawarecka (Member of the Committee for Defense of Democracy – KOD)

Warsaw, 15 January 2022: Recovery Finale

The closing event took place on 15 January in Warsaw. It summarized the Tour and presented the conclusions on how to makre sure that the recovery after COVID pandemic is fair, green and just. It was a moment for European Green to strengthen their relationship with all the actor participating in the Recovery Tour in Poland. We talked about how important it is to maintain strong connection within the European Union. Polish Green presented their final Green Recovery Plan which they have been refining with experts and activists during the Tour.  

Moderator: Krzysztof Rzyman, author of Zielony Podcast (Green Podcast). 

Speakers:

• Małgorzata Tracz (Co-chair of the Partia Zieloni)
• Wojciech Kubalewski (Co-chair of the Partia Zieloni)
• Mar Garcia (Secretary General of the European Green Party (online)
• Mélanie Vogel (French Senator and a member of the Committee of the European Green Party)
• Mateusz Krauze (lawyer, European Commission)
• Joanna Kaminska (city councilor in Brussels)
• Joanna Brauła (Member of Executive Committee of Partia Zieloni)
• Urszula Zielińska (Member of the Polish Parliament)
• Kuba Bilski and Aleksandra Sidoruk (coordinators of the Coronavirus Recovery Tour in Poland)
• Magdalena Gałkiewicz (Secretary General of the Partia Zieloni)