BZB no. 30 - With or without Union. Polish environmental NGOs'attitude towards European integration
The EU enlargement is a challenge and an opportunity, both for the acceding countries as well as the Member States. The decision makers should clearly realise that they have a chance to take part in a building the new world order for the next decades. It is a historical turning point defining our future. From the open-mindness and ability of long-term thinking of the politicians and the societies depend whether we will choose the way of sustainable development and enhancing the quality of life.
Despite mostly critical view of EU integration in the present form, many ECOs do not overlook its positive sides. They often point out that solving environmental problems in Europe and finding the road for sustainable development can only be done in co-operation between all countries in Europe. Furthermore, European integration and enlargement offer an opportunity for close involvement of environmental movements. The shape of the future Europe is just being formed. There is time and opportunity to influence it in an environmentally sound manner. For the first time benefits of the whole continent might become more important than particular interests of national countries. The process of enlargement will enrich the heterogeneity of the EU and may result in finding solutions to the challenges of the coming century. The enlargement might and should be also used for deep internal reforms leading to more transparent decision making process and further democratisation of the EU structures.
This goal can not be achieved without an active public participation. The EU as well as acceding countries should form a framework for the representatives of the civic society to take part in the process of accession. The Aarhus Convention was an important but not fully satisfactory step in a right direction. It must be followed by the strong commitment of the signatories to implement the convention in their national laws and to enforced it.
The overall policy of the EU should be driven by the principles of sustainable development not only for the sake of the environment of Europe but also to help Europe to regain its position among the nations of the world. In the age of globalisation, when bi-polar political system was changed for single economic system, varying from liberal, democratic and wasteful model proposed by the United States to liberal, undemocratic and wasteful model of many Asian countries, Europe must find own solutions to the challenges of the future, in order to preserve its culture, values, and way of living, and to avoid in the same time being pushed at the periphery of the modern world. These goals can not be reached by merely economic competition with other regions. Europe should use its intellectual potential to propose measures narrowing the gap between the poor and the rich, assuring reasonable use of natural resources which will not endanger the wealth of future generation, protecting biodiversity, encouraging the quality of life, and securing world peace.
Poland should use the opportunities connected with the enlargement not only to adjustment to the EU standards but to significantly modernise own economy. by increasing energy efficiency, reducing emissions, introducing clean technologies, developing new work places (particularly in the service sector) and shifting production with high natural resources input towards production with high input of modern technologies, including technologies of environment protection. Poland has a chance to avoid the mistakes of the western countries and to apply the state of art technology and best solutions in the environmental protection. However, in order to meet these objectives, the strong commitment of Polish authorities to follow the path of sustainable development is required. The wide participation of public, including non-governmental organisations in the process of setting up policy regarding the integration and its consequences would be of great value.
Facing the challenge of harsh competition of western agricultural goods, Polish farmers must find a right market niche. They probably can not compete in the effectiveness of production regarding the high subsidies going to western farmers. It would be highly unreasonable to expect that the financial aid from the EU budget for the agricultural sector in the acceding countries will reach the same level as in the Member States. Polish farmers may, however, convert their weak sides into their strong ones. The structure of agriculture in Poland - characterised by the small cultivation area of individual farms, intensive use of manpower, low degree of mechanisation and usage of fertiliser and pesticides, makes it suitable for development of production of high quality and healthy food. The financial assistance of the EU should be used for encouraging the shift of agricultural production towards more environmental friendly. The government responsibility is to support the development of the eco-agriculture, providing farmers with know-how and resources, as well as proper marketing of Polish products on the international market. By promoting sustainable development as one of the main priorities of the national policy, it is possible to change the negative image of Poland as a country of highly degraded environment and call the attention of the international community to the valuable natural and cultural heritage of Poland.
Due to the fact that some reduction in numbers of farm is unavoidable, the proper measures must be taken to assure the development of the service sector in rural area with special attention paid to agro-tourism and creation of jobs in the environmental field. The inhabitant of the rural area, which will have to quit their farms, should find employment in the forestry sector (thanks to the planned growth in the afforestation activity), in national and landscape parks or in the touristic sector.
Poland can not break its connections with the countries which will be left outside the European Union. It would be unfair and not reasonable. Poland should use the advantages of its geographical position to serve as a bridge between the West and East of Europe. Sharing the similar experience of the latest history, Poland should transfer its knowledge to the other, less advanced in the reforms, countries in the region, particularly in such fields as an environmental protection and a civil society. It would be beneficiary for both sides but it would become an act of paying debts to the countries and institutions which recently helped Poland in the same way. Regarding the development of the civil society the close co-operation on the level of the non-governmental organisation seems to be of high importance.
At the end I would like to express my personal opinion that however European integration causes many doubts and its criticism is certainly not groundless, it is in Polish interest to take an active part in the shaping the future of Europe.