COP24. POLISH PAVILION IN FIGURES
During climate summit in Katowice, each day almost 2,500 guests visited the Polish Pavilion. Within two weeks over 400 speakers from several dozen countries took part in the key panels, conferences, debates and meetings.
It is worth mentioning that a total of about 30 thousand delegates from 200 countries participated in the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC.
The key point of the Conference was adopting the Declaration on Forests for the Climate. It was one of the three initiatives presented by the Polish Presidency during COP24, apart from declaration on electromobility and just transformation. Electromobility and forests were also the topics of thematic days organized within the framework of the summit.
Summit in Katowice was undoubtedly a chance to promote Polish forestry. Poland, as a host of the entire event, was able to use the largest exhibition space, almost 350 m2 for the purpose of conference rooms and exposition.
The first things coming to one’s mind on entering the Polish Pavilion were innovation and nature. The space was arranged with the use of almost 600 wooden poles symbolising forest in an unconventional and minimalist way.
However, there were other innovative solutions that enabled international guests to learn about Polish forests and the SF’s current projects.
The Polish Pavilion’s space was divided into three zones showing key messages of the Polish Presidency: Nature-Man-Technology.
The first stage of the sightseeing tour was ‘Nature’ where the visitors could feel the forest literally. Apart from pleasant touch of the unfinished wood, one could scent pine or watch spatial multimedia mapping, which presented complex forest ecosystem consisting of numerous flora and fauna species.
Touch screen presentations made it possible to acquire information about The Carbon Forests Project, which aims at mitigating negative climate change by using the capacities of forest ecosystems.
The app presents goals of the Projects, namely growing reduction of CO2 in in a total area of 12 thousand ha within selected forest districts over the next 30 years. Visitors to the pavilion could also read about foresters’ activities such as: forestations, natural renewals and special modifications of the forest practice.
Exposition located in a different part of the pavilion was devoted to manmade products associated with wood – the most ecological and renewable material. The State Forests’ project ‘Polish Wooden Houses - Live in Harmony with Nature’ and the aspect of broader use of wood in construction were presented on transparent screens displaying miniature models of modern wooden houses.
COP24 participants also learned how wooden constructions may influence the decrease of energy use and reduction of greenhouse gasses emission.
Selected furniture was presented in a form of hologram. Worth mentioning is the fact that Poland is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of furniture. In 2018 the export will exceed PLN 46 billion.
The last element of this part of exposition was a two-metre glass showcase presenting green biofuel – pellet.
All visitors could count on the State Forests’ staff. They were educating and explaining Polish solutions in terms of climate conservation. It was calculated that each person working in the Polish Pavilion walked up to 30 thousand steps every day.
Summit participants could also taste forest floor products, game meat, and different types of honey. It is estimated that visitors tasted 70 thousand servings of ‘Dobre z lasu (eng. ‘Good from Forest’) and 15 thousand cups of coffee.
Interestingly, during the climate summit, ministers used electric cars facilitated by the State Forests. Four zero-emission electric cars have driven around 3 thousand kilometres in total.
The State Forests was honoured for implementation of the project aiming at the development of low-emission fleet. Awards were given to companies that invest in eco-friendly transportation. In order to fulfil the assumptions of the Act on electromobility, the SF bought 16 electric cars. According to Andrzej Konieczny, Director General of the State Forests, this purchase is an element of broader activities responding to contemporary challenges, especially the necessity to adjust to climate changes and to limit their negative effects.
