Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki emphasized the need for a “just transition” from fossil fuels in comments made at the COP26 climate summit yesterday.
Talking to reporters on Monday, Morawiecki said that “just transition” discussions should take into account the developmental starting point and local energy mix of individual countries, as well as the fact that Western countries have used fossil fuels for 200 years to spur their development without environmental restrictions of any kind.
Earlier in the day, COP26 president Alok Sharma called on every country “to show more ambition” in their climate plans in his speech. He stressed that even limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees would have significant environmental and human costs, exposing 700 million people to “extreme heat” and destroying 70% of the world’s coral reefs.
The COP26 convention officially launched yesterday in Glasgow and will continue until November 12.
Source: Radio Poland, ITVNews
Sixty-three percent of Poles want to get vaccinated with a booster shot against the coronavirus, according to a recent survey commissioned by Dziennik Gazeta and RMF FM.
Last week, public health authorities announced that third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine would be made available to all adults beginning November 2. So-called “booster shots” are set to be administered at least six months after the second vaccine dose.
As of this morning, more than 800,000 booster shots had been administered in Poland, according to data released by health officials. That number includes over 235,000 people with immunity problems who also received a third vaccine dose.
Overall, more than 39 million COVID shots have been administered nationwide, allowing for some 50% of the population to be vaccinated.
Source: Radio Poland, PAP, Reuters
Health officials in Poland reported 4,894 new coronavirus infections and 13 more deaths related to Covid-19 on Monday as rates remain high.
The numbers bring the country’s total number of cases during the pandemic to over 3 million (3,030,151) and fatalities to over 77,000 (77,012).
Additionally, 7,204 Covid-19 patients were reportedly in hospitals nationwide yesterday, 603 of them on ventilators. A further 267,276 people are quarantined for possible coronavirus exposure, over 15,000 more than the previous day.
Officials are advising the public to take additional precautionary measures to safeguard against infection, including wearing face masks in crowded public areas and observing social distancing during the holiday.
Source: Radio Poland
Thousands of police started patrolling the roads this weekend as part of the annual “Znicz” or “Operation Torch” efforts to cut down on drunk driving and other driving risks.
Police are concerned that Poland will see an additional spike in road accidents as Poles return home from celebrating All Saints’ Day across the country.
In one 24-hour period from Sunday to Monday, 343 drunk drivers were detained across Poland as part of “Operation Torch.” In the same period, 10 people were reportedly killed and 77 injured in over 60 road accidents, according to official police data.
In Pomerania, police have detained 35 drunk drivers since the start of “Operation Torch.” From Friday to Sunday, 294 minor collisions were recorded on roads within Pomerania, along with 10 serious accidents resulting in 11 injuries.
Officers are appealing to residents to observe proper safety protocols in the car, be aware of changing weather and early nightfall, and observe speed limits as they travel back home.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
Weather
Today will be rainy and overcast throughout the day, with a light breeze coming in from the southeast. Temperatures will peak around a high of 8°C, or 47°F, dropping to an overnight low of 4°C or 39°F. Tomorrow will also start out rainy and cold, with a chance for some sunshine later in the afternoon.
Elizabeth Peck
