Abstract
This article reviews the evolution of local environmental policy in the context of energy transition and particularly the implementation of RES. The study concerns Kraków, whose policy has been compared with other cities and metropolises and was analysed in a timespan of about 30 years. It was hypothesised that, until recently, RES were treated in the city with reserve concerning their feasibility in local environmental and economic conditions, but since RES have been appreciated as a viable means to effectively combat low-stack emissions, the local air quality targets have been integrated with global decarbonisation goals. This launched a dedicated subsidy stream for RES installations and contributed to the sharp increase in the number of installations. Trend analysis techniques have been used to study environmental indicators in relation to the evolution of municipal policies, the expenditures, and their effects. The review confirms that the implementation of RES had not been a priority for Kraków but a complementary measure to those aimed at improving air quality. The recent integration of the environmental and RES policies has been the next step that is now helping to pursue both the city’s strategic goals: further air quality improvement and climate neutrality by 2050. Kraków may serve as an example of a city that has treated RES in a manner adequate to local conditions and capabilities, thus achieving the intended goals.
Highlights
The increased use of renewable energy sources (RES) has become a global trend, and the world is becoming united in its efforts towards energy transition to combat climate change and achieve sustainable development
Western winds prevail in the region, which favours the transfer of pollutants from that side
Due to the characteristic topography of Krakow, in some years, smog-type conditions persisted in autumn and winter and in summer when a continental high-pressure system prevailed over the city, bringing high air temperatures, low-lying inversion layers and near-zero wind speeds
Summary
The increased use of renewable energy sources (RES) has become a global trend, and the world is becoming united in its efforts towards energy transition to combat climate change and achieve sustainable development. The relevant measures are taken at the international and national levels as well as locally, where RES are implemented to improve the communities’ sustainability and quality of life. The use of RES may serve various purposes from power generation development through ensuring energy security to care for the environment. For RES to become an effective means to achieve such goals, a deliberate and purposeful strategy must be adopted and pursued that considers locally specific factors and barriers to renewable energy development. The measures are usually outlined in a RES implementation policy for a given geographical, economic, and social context. This paper discusses the city of Kraków where, owing to severe air pollution caused mainly by low-stack emissions, one of the key challenges is to improve the environment
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