We were invited with the film Human Energy (Human Energy) to Konin in Wielkopolska Wchodznia. On 20th May 2019 a screening from Konin Public Library took place.
The meeting was initiated by Miłosława Stępień from the Konin Action Association, member of the Green Party and Agata Kuźmińska, transformation specialist at the Regional Development Agency S.A. in Konin.
In her presentation at the beginning of the meeting Agata Kuźmińska pointed out that for the last two years there has been a visible interest of Konin residents and rulers in the implementation of energy transformation projects, not only in the field of new renewable energy technologies, but also new jobs, transport and even culture in thinking about a new way of life without dependence on coal.
Konin is a town whose history dates back to 1293. With its long history, today the city is the main center of Konin Brown Coal Basin in Eastern Wielkopolska.
Miłosława Stępień talked about the problems that the whole region is facing due to depletion of coal resources. A large part of Konin was founded during the communism, in the 60s and 70s of the last century. It was then that large blocks of flats were built, in which crowds of miners and power plant workers lived, coming from almost the whole country. During those 20 years the number of inhabitants of the town increased fourfold. Knowledge of the Konin-Kolo-Turkish coal basin is part of the elementary geographical knowledge of the local homeland.
Almost every Konin has someone in his family who has worked or still works in a mine or power plant. Therefore, when it is becoming more and more difficult to talk about mines and power plants as the engine of the region’s development, it is also difficult to talk about the changes that have already taken place without strong emotions and bitterness of people who remember the town’s heyday.
She also outlined the current situation of the region. From the end of the 1980s to 2005, employment in mines and power plants fell by 40%. The region has a high unemployment rate, but at the same time many, especially young people, are emigrating. In Konin alone, from 83,000 at its peak in 2000 to 75,000 in 2016, with the worst-case scenario showing a vision that only 40,000 people will live in Konin in 2050.
When some media in Western countries talk about success with mine closures or such plans (e.g. Germany, Great Britain) in Poland, it is associated with the tragedy of many people who lose their jobs. Because they do not know any other perspective. In the coal regions / basins, large companies (state-owned since the communist era) have provided work and social security for entire families. People got used to the fact that they are responsible for their land, work from “from” to “from” and have employee vacations. The largest plant in the Konin Region is the “Pątnów-Adamów-Konin” Power Plant Complex (ZE PAK) – a group of four lignite-fired power plants in the Konin Region, supplying about 8.5 percent of the national power of 2512 MW. After 1999, the company was privatized. Many promises of the new owners were not fulfilled. The new projects are questionable due to negative decisions of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection with regard to the planned open-pit mine in Ościsłowo.
The declaration that the company (ZE PAK.S.A.) will establish solar and wind farms in lignite mining areas is a great success of social movements.
From the late 1980s to 2005, employment in mines and power plants fell by 40%. In the region, there is a high unemployment rate, but at the same time many, especially young people, emigrate. In Konin alone, from 83,000 at its peak in 2000 to 75,000 in 2016, with the worst scenario presenting the vision that in 2050 there will be only 40,000 people living in Konin.
When in the West countries some media said of success with pit closures or such plans (e.g. Germany, Great Britain) in Poland is presented as a success, it is connected with the tragedy of many people who lose their jobs. Because they don’t know any other perspective. In the regions/coal basins, large companies (state-owned since the People’s Republic of Poland) have provided work and social security for whole families. People were accustomed to being responsible for their land plot, working from “from – to” and having employee holidays. The biggest plants in the Konin region are the “Pątnów-Adamów-Konin” Power Plant Complex (ZE PAK) – a group of four lignite-fired thermal power plants in the Konin region, supplying about 8.5 per cent of the national power of 2512 MW. After 1999, the process of privatization of the company took place. Many promises of new owners were not fulfilled. The new projects are questionable due to negative decisions of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in relation to the planned open-pit mine in Ościsłów.
Agata Kuźmińska, Transformation Specialist at the Regional Development Agency S.A. in Konin, pointed out that for two years now there has been a visible interest of the inhabitants and rulers of Konin in implementing energy transformation projects, not only in the field of new renewable energy technologies but also in new jobs, transport and even culture in thinking about a new way of living without dependence on coal.
The declaration that the company (ZE PAK.S.A.) will set up solar and wind farms in brown coal mining areas is a great success of social movements.
Full recording of Agata Kuźmińska’s and the Miłosława Stępień speech on YOU TUBE
Discussion after the film screening
After the film there was an interesting discussion with the audience. There were voices saying that the research indicates a high percentage of Poles’ mistrust of other people and doubted whether the idea of cooperatives would be accepted. The question was what to do to change it? Adam Dzienis producer and director pointed out that one cannot always talk about one’s faults. Poles are accustomed to constant criticism of themselves. Or maybe one needs more positive energy and simply acting “forward”. Although he admitted that this is a problem. An example of the first “Nasza Energia” cooperative from Zamość, which cooperates more easily with private business and local government than with local residents.
He also said that the problem is human. Terrifying statistics about how greenhouse gases affect the planet, do not convince people to change their behaviour, do not move things forward. What moves things forward? Money. And by using this argument we can reach out to ordinary people. During our documentary journey, where we went through the first six countries, people from the cooperatives told us that the only argument that convinced people was money. – said Adam.
Among their 7 principles, cooperatives provide for co-ownership and return of a percentage of profit to their members. And it works for people that they join in building solar, wind or biogas installations. But they also started to meet to eat together, talk, and to build social bonds between neighbours, but also with strangers, they started to trust each other by doing something together.
He also said that the problem is human. Terrifying statistics about how greenhouse gases affect the planet, do not convince people to change their behaviour, do not move things forward. During our documentary journey, where we went through the first six countries, people from the cooperatives told us that the main argument that convinced people was money – said Adam. And by using this argument we can reach out to ordinary people.
