Paper short abstract:

The paper offers an analysis of Polish energy policies developed by the right-wing populist coalition in the years 2014-2023. Our focus lies on the normative orientations within the analyzed material with particular attention to contesting urgency and hindering decarbonization.

Paper long abstract:

Background of the Study:

The ongoing energy transition, characterized by reduced reliance on fossil fuels, presents significant challenges for societies. This is particularly pertinent in Poland, the most coal-dependent country in the EU, where decarbonization and the urgency have been explicitly hindered during the past decade of right-wing populist coalition rule.

Purpose of the Study, Methods, and Data:

In this paper, we employ political discourse analysis with elements of argumentation theory. We examine the practical argumentation present in the energy policies (a collection of 10 documents) formulated between 2014 and 2023 by the right-wing Law and Justice government. The analysis is computer-assisted with MaxQDA software. Our focus lies on the normative orientations within the analyzed material, which justify the proliferation of carbon-based development strategies while contesting the urgency of decarbonization.

Expected Outcomes:

We identify two fundamental normative claims used to contest urgency deceleration of decarbonization: 1. the competitiveness of the economy, and 2. energy security. Both are further bolstered by resentment towards the European Union's climate and energy policies, with EU policies being rhetorically downplayed as "uncertainties." Notably, following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, similar normative orientations, oriented toward partisan national interests, are no longer exclusive to right-wing populist narratives and have emerged as a challenge across the EU.

Novelty of the Study:

The paper underscores the significance of temporality, including the urgency category as a crucial normative aspect that should be considered in public policies concerning climate change, energy transition, and related issues.