It was stressed that geothermal energy contributes to sustainable development based upon economic and social development in harmony with environmental requirements while increasing energy safety and reducing Poland's dependence upon foreign energy sources. The national commodity balance and the external account also improve. The energy industries develop, too, thus contributing to creation of additional jobs, and export of the state-of-the-art technology increases, it was noted in the declaration.

"Although we have no geysers in Poland, such as Island has, Poland's geological structure provides the opportunities to using geothermal waters for economic purposes. The changes introduced recently in the Polish Geological and Mining Law are in favour of both the geothermal sector and the possibility to use the resources provided by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, and those make up an essential component of these opportunities" chief geologist Henryk Jezierski explained.(MoE/RK)