| The thesis analyzes the possibility of coal's contribution to environmentally sustainable resource development in Poland and identifies the ways to enhance the said contribution. The objectives are: (1) to identify the main environmental impacts of coal as an energy source in Poland; (2) to describe existing Polish laws and related EU laws and regulations aimed at ensuring coal use is sustainable; (3) to establish target issues for making coal use more environmentally sustainable; and (4) to examine how technological or other improvements can contribute to improving the environmental sustainability of target issues. The objectives were addressed primarily through open-ended interviews with coal experts, extensive review of the literature, field observations, and attending the relevant meetings and conferences.;The research outcomes show that hard-coal will remain the key energy source in Poland for at least the next 20 years, because other energy sources are insignificant while resources of coal are relatively high. Today coal is often not considered as a part of the sustainable energy development due to its large negative impact on the environment. To create environmentally sustainable energy system based on coal, Poland has to undertake the steps to minimize its impact on the environment. The most important problem to be solved is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Reduction of pollutants emission was expressed in a number of international agreements, conventions and protocols (e.g. Climatic Convention, Kyoto Protocol, etc.), some of which were signed and ratified by the Polish government. This resulted also in establishing the limits for pollutants emission (nitrogen oxides, carbon oxides, etc.). In order to achieve emissions reductions and to increase coal's contribution to environmentally sustainable energy use in Poland it is necessary to apply advanced clean coal technologies and provide appropriate legislative and policy changes.;This thesis presents an outline of problems related to hard-coal usage for clean energy production in Poland, the current regulatory environment in Poland and EU supporting the initiatives improving environmental performance of coal, as well as the assessment of technological solutions which may help to reduce emissions associated with coal use. |
