Cultural Geography of Poland

Cultural Geography Statistical Worksheet

Formal Country Name: Poland

Vernacular Country Name: Republic of Poland

World Region: Central Europe

Absolute Location: 52º 00' N and 20º 00' E

Relative Location: Republic of Poland (Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north.

Summary: Poland constitutes a market of over of 38 million people located in the heart of central Europe, sharing borders with both “new” EU and “old” EU-15 countries and markets to the East including Ukraine, Belarus and Russia (Kaliningrad oblast). Poland's integration into the European Union (EU) has been a gradual but steady process. Adoption of EU legislation permitted Poland to restructure the way in which its finances is regulated and constraint government intervention in the personal sector. Changes in areas such as financial markets, company and competition law, accounting, and intellectual property rights have created a better environment for business and have contributed to economic growth. Poland plans to eventually adopt the Euro currency within the next few years which will further the integration process. The country's accession to the Schengen free transit zone in December 2007 eliminated all remaining border checks along its intra-EU frontiers.

Physical Geography

Dominant Climate Type(s) and Climate Description: Poland participates in international climate change mitigation efforts as a Member of the European Union and as a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. The target set for Poland by the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce the aggregated carbon dioxide emissions from 1988 level by 6% by 2012. Poland has fulfilled exceeded this commitment as a result of the economy transition in the 90s. This occurred before the UNFCCC and its Protocol had entered into force. Tough, but pertinent political decisions resulted in a significant change in the Polish economy. However, this transition required great efforts and high social costs. According to the Poland's National Inventory Report 20091, total GHG emissions have decreased by 30% in the 1988-2007 period. The excess CO2 emission reductions can be sold to other countries via the international emission trading scheme established by the Kyoto Protocol. Poland is currently in the process of negotiations with potential buyers. As of now an initial agreement has been signed with Japan. The revenues from selling the Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) are intended to be used within the country for investments in renewable energy sources and CO2 reduction projects. This could be finished through Green Investment design (GIS). However, detailed procedures still have to be determined. Poland is also a owner country for junction Implementation projects. Several projects have already been or are still being developed. However, until now, none of JI projects have been registered by the UNFCCC. EU ETS covers most of the sectors with the highest reduction potential, which is a key obstacle for smooth development of JI projects in Poland. In addition, complicated ...