Perception of the Transition to a Zero-Emission Economy in the Opinion of Polish Students

Abstract

Renewable energy sources are an alternative to traditional sources and are based on inexhaustible and environmentally friendly supply. Various controversies have been stirred up by the development of energy production from renewable sources, e.g., due to the high cost of these investments or carbon footprint at the production stage of renewable installations, or later in the disposal process. However, they seem to be gradually offset by the numerous benefits that outweigh the initial costs of their support. Therefore, it is not surprising that European Union (EU) countries are at the forefront of the transition to a low-emission economy. This is evidenced, e.g., by a 22% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Member States, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 58% between 1990 and 2017. Nevertheless, the use of renewable energy sources such as sun, wind, water, etc. is much more expensive than burning fossil fuels. This argument of high investment costs can be decisive in decisions of both public debates and individual households. Therefore, education on renewable energy sources is needed to facilitate the process of transition to a zero-emission economy in the European Union countries. This education should, above all, be addressed to young people, who will be making these decisions in the future. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will largely depend on the knowledge and awareness of young people. The aim of the paper is to diagnose the perception of the transition to a zero-carbon economy in the opinion of Polish schoolchildren. We put a particular emphasis on renewable energy sources as a key element shaping the security of the state in terms of sustainable ecology and friendly social development. We achieved the aim of the study through a research process with use of theoretical and empirical research methods. We analysed the literature on the subject and the current legal acts in the field of renewable energy sources. We also conducted a survey of high school students in Poland. The analysis of the research results allowed us to formulate recommendations on the possibility of shaping state security in the field of sustainable ecology and friendly social development.

Perspective: Comparison of end-of-life scenarios of municipal solid waste from viewpoint of life cycle assessment

“…Europe is trying to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 in the context of the EGD, SDGs and Circular Economy Strategy (Kaczmarczyk and Urych, 2022). For this purpose, avoiding municipal solid waste is an important factor, and for sustainability, it is essential to evaluate the EoL stage.…”

Local resilience for low‐carbon transition in Poland: Frameworks, conditions and opportunities for Central European countries

“…Thus, a national reform, based on a political consensus is needed which can protect the economic capacity of the coal‐power sector through a transition towards renewable technologies. However, such a consensus would also be determined by public participation and perception of the high initial funding required (Kaczmarczyk & Urych, 2022). Kaczmarczyk and Urych (2022) explained the importance of education and awareness of Polish students towards creating the appropriate community‐level consensus for a low‐carbon economy.…”

“…However, such a consensus would also be determined by public participation and perception of the high initial funding required (Kaczmarczyk & Urych, 2022). Kaczmarczyk and Urych (2022) explained the importance of education and awareness of Polish students towards creating the appropriate community‐level consensus for a low‐carbon economy. The role of the individuals, especially the young people, would help to build such an acceptable “sustainable ecology and friendly social development” (Kaczmarczyk & Urych, 2022).…”

Perception of the Transition to a Zero-Emission Economy in the Opinion of Polish and Foreign Students: A Comparative Analysis

“…The study contrasted the knowledge of foreign students living and studying in Poland with that of Polish students studying national security, who were surveyed in May 2021 using the same set of questions. The research results were presented in "Perception of the Transition to a Zero-Emission Economy in the Opinion of Polish Students", an article by B. Kaczmarczyk and I. Urych, published in 2022 [27]. The survey conducted for the above article covered a total of 1106 students in different age groups: 15-18 (1.67%), 19-25 (86.7%) and 26-30 (10.66%).…”

“…The students' curricula, as well as the dedicated programmes they attended, addressed renewable energy sources, including prosumer energy and the green capital economy. Members of the Youth Climate Council (YCC), a consultative and advisory body under the Ministry of Culture and Environment, also participated in the study [27].…”