The Committee of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology is one of nine committees acting within the Second Division of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences. It was appointed in 2016, but it carries out tradition of the previous committees of the Polish Academy of Sciences, especially the Committee of Ecology, the Committee of Evolutionary and Theoretical Biology and the Committee of Nature Conservation.

News:

baner torun

 

Award of the Committee of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PASprojekt medalu FINAL

We are pleased to announce that the first winner of the Ludwik Tomiałojć Medal for people distinguished in research and nature protection in Poland is Mr. Paweł Pawlaczyk. Sincere congratulations!

  

 

2023

The Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS expressed a negative opinion on the draft regulation of the Ministry of Education and Science amending the cost-absorption coefficients of scientific disciplines [link]. The Committee pointed out that the flattening of the cost-absorption coefficients for teaching and research will adversely affect the education of students and scientific activities at natural science faculties, while reductions in funding may lead to the collapse of the disciplines of biological sciences, biotechnology or medical biology at Polish universities.

 

2022

The Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS presented an opinion on the protection of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Białowieża Forest" [link]. Specifically, the Committee strongly opposed against an attempt to influence the shape of the management plan for the UNESCO Site by an in-advance preparation of other management plans for the natural substance of the Białowieża Primeval Forest (forest management plans and Natura 2000 protection plan). The Committee also gave a negative opinion on the proposals, which aim to considerably increase the area of the UNESCO Site zone where logging is allowed.

 

On 06/04/2022, the Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS officially supported  [link] an appeal of the Polish Association of Natural Science Teachers about the eighth-grade examinations. According to the Committee, natural sciences are absolutely crucial for the economic, scientific and technological development of society, and the lack of natural science subjects on the eighth-grade exam may enhance their neglect in primary school, which will be difficult to make up during further education.

Response of the Ministry of Education and Science 31.08.2022 [link].

 

The Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS gave an opinion on the draft act on national parks [link]. In the opinion of the Committee, the draft act contains many provisions improving the situation of national parks (e.g. defining establishment or enlargement of national parks as a public purpose). On the other hand, the Committee remarks that some provisions limit the effectiveness of our national natural heritage protection, in particular those concerning the establishment and expansion of national parks and the appointment of their directors.

 

2021

On 03/11/2021, a hybrid debate of the Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS and the Committee for Forest Sciences and Wood Technology PAS will be held under the title "The future and functions of forests in the context of climate change and protection of biodiversity". Details about the debate can be found in the appendix [DEBATE_PROGRAMME].

 

The Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS appealed to the Special Committee for Climate to reject the act on exceptional solutions for the special purposes of woodlands [link]. In the opinion of the Committee, the act is not compliant with the climatic policy of the European Union and represents a destructive approach to the environment. The Committee also points out that the solutions proposed in the act may increase the risk of flooding and should not be proceeded without respecting the law on nature and environmental protection.

 

In reference to the EU biodiversity strategy 2030, the Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS presents its opinion on the protection of old-growth forests [link]. This strategy assumes the protection of all natural and old-growth forests as the most valuable forest ecosystems, but its elements have been criticized by certain  institutions representing forest sciences, including the Committee for Forest Sciences and Wood Technology PAS. This official statement of CEEB is a polemic with some theses of this criticism.

 

The Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS appealed to the Ministry of Climate and Environment to take measures to preserve the most valuable natural forests of the Carpathian Primeval Forest [link]. The area of the Carpathian Forest is one of the most valuable, next to the Białowieża Primeval Forest, forest areas in Poland and Central Europe. In its appeal, the Committee indicates the actions that are necessary to prevent the loss of the natural values of this area.

 

The Committee for Environmental and Evolutionary Biology PAS maintained its opinion on the change of the boundaries of the Świętokrzyski National Park [link]. In the opinion of CEEB, the proposal to exclude Święty Krzyż enclave from the Park is not justified by the results of environmental research, and thus it does not meet the requirement to determine the actual state of natural values and the requirement to document the irretrievable loss of natural and cultural values.