Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moscow told PAP that she would raise the Turów issue with German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke. She said she intends to urge Zittau authorities to withdraw a complaint about the mine’s operation after 2026, underscoring the importance of coordinated cross-border dialogue. The ministry head also noted that discussions in Słubice would address both the Oder River and the Turów lignite mine, highlighting their shared impact on regional energy security.
The Polish Minister of Climate and Environment met with Steffi Lemke, Germany’s Environment Minister, to discuss these topics and to reinforce the mutual interests at stake in the Turów project and broader environmental considerations.
Beyond the Oder River considerations, the talks aimed to clarify the operational framework of the Turów lignite mine and its environmental safeguards.
– reported Anna Moscow.
On May 31, the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw issued a ruling suspending the environmental decree extending the coal-mining concession for Turów beyond 2026. The proceedings follow objections to the decree issued in autumn 2022. Complaints were filed by groups including the Frank Bold Foundation, Greenpeace, the Ecological Association EKO-UNIA, and the city of Zittau, among others.
One of the entities that challenged the decision by the General Directorate for Environmental Protection, which had extended Turów’s concessions to 2044, was the German town of Zittau. Moscow stated her intention to urge the German minister to assume responsibility and engage with Zittau’s local authorities to withdraw that complaint, stressing that Poland does not seek to interfere in Germany’s energy mix or security arrangements.
– the head of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage told PAP, adding that Poland’s approach must respect German energy planning and sovereignty.
She stressed that Turów’s operation serves not only Poland but neighboring Germany as well. Germany imports electricity from this region produced from coal and lignite, and last year achieved record output from lignite, reinforcing the importance of energy security in cross-border contexts.
– said Minister Moscow.
The minister highlighted that the autumn decision by GDOŚ, which led to the concession extension to 2044, was framed to safeguard against excessive environmental impact while ensuring ongoing supply. Similar standards have been applied to German mines, underscoring the shared commitment to environmental protection across borders. This has made it seem inconsistent to some environmental groups and the city of Zittau that extra protections should be rolled back.
argued the minister.
“Mining suspension will not be effective”
Referring to the Warsaw court’s decision, the minister pointed out that the ruling effectively functions as a safeguard allowing continued mining after 2026, despite the expiry of the original concession. This situation, she noted, resembles a legal copy-paste from European Court of Justice considerations, where a single judge could affect the mine’s operation beyond the prior term.
“It is not clear how we will secure a transition that should start in 2027. Perhaps mining should be restricted now to close the mine from 2027? The court’s ruling appears to miss the substantive issues,” she assessed.
She reminded that the same court in 2022 had already ruled on a related Turów matter, indicating that closing the mine would carry risks. The judgment at the time warned that ending mining could jeopardize long-term stability of the excavation, safety of the Turów facility and surroundings due to landslide risks, and potentially undermine the anti-filtration measures near completion. The minister noted that the court had previously emphasized the importance of continuing mining for environmental protections and structural barriers to noise and seepage.
Further, the minister explained that stopping mining now would hinder the performance of an anti-filtration screen nearing completion and could jeopardize other critical protections designed to minimize environmental impact. Suspension could delay or preclude essential barriers that limit water and dust emissions, she observed.
The minister added that the court’s ruling could imply that immediate cessation would force the permanent shutdown of power units at the Turów Power Plant, a result that would be technologically irreversible. It was also highlighted that Turów helps ensure heat and energy supply for surrounding communities, with a potential risk of reduced heating and hot water and job losses if mining were abruptly halted.
Referring to the May decision, Anna Moscow noted that the court essentially used similar documents but reached a different conclusion, describing the earlier ruling as procedural and inconsistent with substantive considerations.
The discussion also touched on the broader implications for cross-border energy reliability and regional economic stability, acknowledging that any decision on Turów must balance environmental safeguards with uninterrupted energy supply for both Poland and Germany.
Sasin’s reaction
In reaction to the court’s May decision, Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin criticized the ruling as potentially political, suggesting that it undermines national interests and could prompt further legal action. He noted that the Turów matter would continue to be addressed through the Provincial Administrative Court, with ongoing consideration of the substantive issues and potential additional legal avenues.
The wPolityce portal reported that a judge from the Warsaw court, Jarosław Łuczaj, who issued the ruling in May, was linked to the Iustitia association, which has expressed positions aligned with European Court of Justice decisions.
In September 2021, the EU Court of Justice fined Poland for failing to halt lignite mining at Turów promptly, a decision tied to concerns about water access for residents of Liberec in the Czech Republic and associated noise and dust issues. In February 2023, Poland reached an agreement with the Czech Republic, providing compensation and environmental funding contributions.
READ ALSO: Sasin and Moscow respond to the decision of the Provincial Administrative Court regarding Turów. We will protect 60,000 jobs; Extraction will be performed.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the mine would not be closed, warning that a court decision not reflecting Poland’s interests could be deemed illegal. Other political commentary at the time reflected concerns about potential policy missteps and the long-term implications for Turów, with public discourse highlighting the mine’s central role in regional energy and economic stability.
Only he can think of that. Tusk criticized the government over Turów, suggesting that flawed legal decisions could jeopardize the project.
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Source: wPolityce