Climate education will be introduced in Polish schools, and numerous training sessions on this subject will also include officials from various institutions. In addition, the state is launching a campaign against alleged “climate disinformation,” which will be interpreted very broadly, creating a real threat to freedom of speech. Hundreds of millions of zlotys have already been allocated for these purposes, and this is only the beginning. These initiatives are to become a key element of implementing the Green Deal in Poland, writes Gazeta Polska in its latest issue.
As early as 2019, in a European Commission communication concerning the Green Deal, it was stated that the transition away from fossil fuels “must include a change in social awareness.” The document reads: “Schools, training institutions, and universities are well positioned to work with students, parents, and the broader community on the changes necessary for a successful transformation.”
This was followed by EU Council recommendations in 2022, and the Polish government has now taken action. In August 2024, a team was established to develop a Strategic Action Plan for Environmental Education (SPDEE), with a budget of 420 million PLN allocated, among other things, for teacher training and grants for local governments.
Climate Across Every Subject
How will climate education look in practice? In February 2024, a special team was formed under the Ministry of National Education. However, there are no plans to create a new subject. Instead, starting in September 2026, content related to climate change will be integrated into existing subjects. This means that the topic will appear “in various contexts – from analyzing literary texts to discussing historical and economic issues.”
The direction of these changes is clear: less emphasis on traditional environmental protection and more on issues such as climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonization, and renewable energy sources.
Fighting “Disinformation” and the Shadow of Penalties
One of the pillars of the new system will be combating “climate and environmental disinformation.” The problem is that this concept will be interpreted extremely broadly. According to a report by NASK, it includes, among other things, “denying the existence of global warming or denying or downplaying the role of anthropogenic factors in climate change.” This means that almost any opinion questioning the official narrative may be classified as disinformation.
Dr. Katarzyna Bąkowicz, a member of the commission for investigating Russian influence, argues in her opinion that even claiming that “pro-climate movements are unreliable or that pro-climate solutions do not work” constitutes disinformation. Among the necessary actions, she lists not only education but also the “development (and implementation) of criminal procedures in cases of deliberate creation and distribution of disinformation content.”
Huge sums of money from both national and EU funds will flow into projects related to climate education, including the fight against disinformation.
The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and other institutions are expected to allocate nearly one billion PLN to this purpose over the coming years.