The Potential of Low-Carbon Development of the Polish Economy

Poland is currently a dynamically developing country belonging to the European Union. However, the economic development does not go hand in hand with improving the quality of the environment. The air quality in Poland is one of the worst in the entire European Union. Although industry generally meets current ecological standards (especially large enterprises), the air quality is negatively affected by heating buildings, road transport, agriculture and small enterprises. It should be emphasized that heating single-family houses using old, energy-inefficient boilers, in which low-quality fuel is burned, has the greatest impact on poor air quality in Poland. Despite actions taken to reduce emission in Poland, concentrations of harmful substances in the air are still exceeded. Poor air quality contributes to the additional costs associated with the absence of sick workers in the workplace. The aim of the article is to present the conditions related to the low-carbon development in Poland. The article indicates the potential of the LCA technique, which can effectively support activities for low-carbon development.