Poland-China Green Transition Seminar: Insights and Cooperation Prospects

On July 8, 2025, the "Green Transition in Poland - Experiences, Prospects, Technological Developments and Cooperation Opportunities with China" seminar, jointly hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in China and Poznan University of Life Sciences, and co-organized by  China Federation of Economic Media, was held at the Polish Embassy in Beijing. Scholars from universities, business representatives, and experts from environmental protection organizations from both China and Poland gathered to conduct in-depth exchanges on core issues such as renewable energy development, forest carbon sequestration, circular economy technologies, and agricultural emission reduction, building a pragmatic dialogue platform for Sino-Polish climate cooperation.

Poland's Green Transition: A "Dual Miracle" of Economic Growth and Emission Reduction

At the beginning of the seminar,Mr. Mariusz Orbach from the Economic Section of the Polish Embassy in China set the theme with "the reverse trajectory of economic growth and carbon emissions", sharing the milestone achievements of Poland's green transition in the past 35 years: while GDP has quadrupled, Poland has achieved a continuous decline in carbon dioxide emissions. Currently, renewable energy accounts for 46% of total energy production, and the country has achieved the 2040 solar energy installation target set in 2019 17 years ahead of schedule.

"This achievement is no accident, but the result of emission reduction efforts covering all fields including electricity, households, agriculture, and transportation," the representative emphasized. Poland attaches particular importance to policy flexibility and technological innovation in energy transition, such as supporting the development of renewable energy in rural areas through public funds and promoting the implementation of circular economy models such as biogas. These practices provide a reference sample of "simultaneous growth and emission reduction" for China, which is also a large developing country.

Academic Exchanges: From Forest Carbon Sequestration to AI-Enabled Green Industries

As the core organizer, Poznan University of Life Sciences brought cutting-edge research results in the field of green technology. Professor Janusz Olejnik's team, after 15 years of research on forest carbon sequestration, showed that Poland's 30% forest coverage rate (higher than China's 25%) plays a key role in carbon sinks. By optimizing the forest rotation cycle (shortening from 120 years to 60 years), the carbon absorption capacity per hectare of forest can be increased by 460 tons. "Forests are not only ecological barriers but also 'carbon banks'. Scientific management can maximize their carbon sequestration potential," said Professor Olejnik.

How can artificial intelligence and digital technologies help green transition? Professor Tomasz Garbowski demonstrated the intelligent system for ecological packaging production developed by his team: through AI optimization of the mechanical properties of corrugated cardboard, combined with innovations in biodegradable materials, packaging waste can be reduced by more than 30%. This technology has been applied in many Polish enterprises.

Chinese scholars also contributed local wisdom. Professor Renjie Dong from China Agricultural University focused on biogas technology and proposed the "biogas + carbon capture" model (BGCCS), which can simultaneously realize agricultural waste treatment, energy production, and soil carbon storage. "If China processes all livestock and poultry manure through biogas technology, the annual emission reduction potential is equivalent to replacing the country's total imported natural gas, and it can also reduce the use of chemical fertilizers," his view aroused heated discussions among experts in the agricultural field from China and Poland.

Cooperation Prospects: Policy Alignment and Technological Complementarity Are Key

The impact of EU regulations on Sino-Polish climate cooperation was one of the focus topics. Jakub Bednarek from Maruszkin Law Firm analyzed new EU regulations such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and anti-deforestation laws, believing that China and Poland can strengthen cooperation in green certification and mutual recognition of technical standards to jointly cope with "climate barriers" in trade.

Professor Karolina Pawlak from the International Cooperation Department of Poznan University of Life Sciences introduced that the university has established green technology joint laboratories with 25% of its cooperative institutions in China, covering fields such as bioenergy and smart agriculture. "Our doctoral programs are taught entirely in English, with nearly 100 Chinese students participating each year, which cultivates 'seed talents' for technical cooperation."

The discussion session and garden cocktail party of the seminar became a catalyst for pragmatic cooperation. Poland's experience in rural energy transition (such as public fund support for renewable energy), China's industrial advantages in photovoltaic and hydrogen energy, and the technological complementarity between the two countries in biogas engineering and carbon sink forestry became popular directions for docking between enterprise representatives and scholars.

Conclusion: Global Collaboration Is Needed for Green Transition

This seminar is not only a window to display Poland's green transition experience but also marks a new starting point for Sino-Polish cooperation in the climate field from academic exchanges to industrial cooperation. As Mr. Mariusz Orbach said, "There is no one-size-fits-all solution for green transition, but cooperation can help us avoid detours."