Poland: the 'energy trilemma' born of Russia's war

In the months following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland’s energy policy became an exercise in balancing priorities. To free itself from its dependence on Russian gas, Warsaw had to turn to a more expensive and polluting alternative: domestic coal. More than a political failure, this should be seen as a cold, pragmatic calculation imposed by the collision between geopolitics, economics, and climate ideals.