Bartłomiej Kozek: Polish and European ghosts of the past

Polish history is shaped today by remembering the failed attempts in regaining independence. This leaves less and less space to tell different, more nuanced stories. This explains why Poland has an ambivalent memory of the First World War. In 1914, it was part of different empires. The end of the war was also the return of its independence. Strengthening alternative narratives may be crucial in opening Poland to stories linking its inhabitants to wider, European history. - Bartłomiej Kozek in the Green Europeam Journal.

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Bartłomiej Kozek: Poland doesn't give a damn

Until COP 19 started, everything looked quite promising. Intense preparations for heated debates, new and interesting publications on politics of climate change, even some social mobilisation could be felt in the air. Quite surprisingly for myself even the Lutheran church, to which I went, greeted international delegates from the Climate Summit with a sermon on God’s creation, presented by a protestant bishop from Norway. A chance to (finally!) discuss and question the stance of the Polish centre-right government on climate and energy issues on a broader scale seemed possible.

Well, think again... - writes Bartłomiej Kozek in the Green European Journal.


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Bartłomiej Kozek: Triumph of the German Mother

My friends tend to be surprised with the fascination that I share with one of my friends on social media. He regularly sends me pictures of the German Chancellor in everyday, yet funny, situations. Our enthusiasm explodes when we see photographs of her cutting meat for a traditional Turkish kebab or receiving a statue of a golden hen from her faithful electorate. We also analyse every colour of her two-piece suits and the energy that we feel emanating from her famous rhombus-shaped hands that featured in her CDU party’s election billboards.

Just to be absolutely clear – we feel that this in no way contradicts our progressive, green political views.

So are the political opinions of some of my friends, which in recent days surprised me with their appraisal of Merkel and the sense of stability she supposedly brings to Germany. Many analysts look with envy on the German economic model, its labour market reforms and the presence of a strong industrial base. If there is any criticism in the media for the CDU it is because of the perceived irrationality of the energy transition of our western neighbour. From time to time we therefore hear about people going to the woods to fetch some lumber, because the energy from wind or the sun it told to be extremely high. But – then again – the Germans are rich because of their protestant work ethic, which Merkel’s a symbol of, so they can afford to be extravagant (ecological awareness in a coal-based country is considered as such), can’t they?

[read the full article in the Green European Journal]

Green New Deal in Poland: The Social Dimension

In the fifth year of the comprehensive crisis we are facing, social questions have come to the top of the political agenda and the public debate in Europe. This Green European Foundation publication, initiated by Zielony Instytut and the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Warsaw office, links the European level social policy goals to a concrete national example, Poland.

Two of the contributions to this publication ("Social Policy - An Introduction" by Ryszard Szarfenberg and "Social Policy - Green debates" by Bartłomiej Kozek) have been translated into English. They are available at the website of Green European Foundation.

Bartłomiej Kozek on the precariat's world

While Poland presents itself to the outside world as a country untouched by the economic crisis, the reality is far different for an entire generation of Polish people. Rather than face up to the structural difficulties in the job market, the Government ignores the problem and remains committed to the doctrines of the neoliberal model.

- writes Bartłomiej Kozek in the "Green European Journal", vol. 4.

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The Vestas occupation crucial for our climate struggle

The occupation of the Vestas wind turbine factory in the Isle of Wight is now at the heart of the environmental struggle in Europe.

We often fight for numbers, such as emission targets and quotas. We support political leaders (not many) who understand the urgency of the climate crisis. And we fight against politicians incapable of taking (or unwilling to take) urgent measures to prevent the catastrophe -- against people like Bush or Klaus. This is very important. But finally, we will not be able to lower our carbon footprint without proper infrastructure. We need wind turbines, solar panels, efficiency technologies etc. We need more people employed in green economy. We need not only clean technologies, but also economic demand for clean technologies; and both should be created with government's support, if necessary.

It would be an immense waste to shut down the factory now, when the challenge of climate crisis calls for massive investment in renewable energy sector, and the challenge of economic crisis calls for an earnest effort to create -- not destroy, Mr. Miliband! -- millions of green collar jobs all over Europe.

The Vestas occupation is not only about one factory, or about one country. It is about the sector of green energy in Europe. And about the future of our planet.

Please, take your time to visit the protest's website or to write a few words of support at: savevestas[at]gmail.com.

Adam Ostolski and Bartłomiej Kozek