PRESS RELEASE

BASED ON GROUP'S PRESENCE IN POLAND (THROUGH KTI POLAND), FONDAZIONE MAIRE PRESENTS ITS “CLIMATE GOALS” RESEARCH ON ENERGY TRANSITION IN THE FRAME OF THE XIII POLISH CHEMISTRY CONGRESS IN WARSAW

FOCUS ON THE POLISH SYSTEM, WHERE CLIMATE GOALS TARGET MUST BE BALANCED WITH SOCIO-ECONOMIC STABILITY, WHILE ENSURING INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

• Fondazione MAIRE, together with Ipsos Doxa, has been monitoring public awareness on the energy transition worldwide since 2023, involving more than 2,850 individuals and 25 experts across 17 countries in 4 continents
• Poland is a strategic country for MAIRE, in the frame of its European platform of technology and engineering which is based on Group's rooted presence in 6 countries of the continent (Italy, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, UK and Poland)

• Polish respondents call for greater innovation from business, stronger institutional support for new technologies, and a transition that is evidence-based, well-managed and supported by skills development
• Training is the key enabler: 87% require strong upskilling improvement, with hybrid professionals combining technical expertise with soft skills such as critical thinking

Warsaw, 12 June 2026 – Fondazione MAIRE – ETS presents the results of the fourth edition of “Climate Goals: winning the challenge of climate goals through the creation of skills and competences worldwide” (Addendum 3), with a dedicated focus on Poland, one of the European countries where the energy transition is assessed primarily in relation to energy security, economic sustainability and industrial competitiveness. The research has been presented during the works of the XIII Polish Chemistry Congress in Warsaw, the largest and most prestigious annual gathering for the chemical sector in Poland and Central Europe, bringing together representatives of public administration, industry leaders, the scientific community and companies active across the value chain.

The presentation was delivered by Ilaria Catastini, General Director of Fondazione MAIRE – ETS – at the presence of the President of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry Dr. Tomasz Zielinski, and the First secretary and Head of economic affairs of the Italian Embassy in Poland Dr. German Carboni – ahead of the discussion panel “Energy transition in industry: from technologies to implementation”, which brought the debate into a broader industrial perspective with the participation of leading sector players including Marcin Wasilewski, Member of the Management Board for Transformation at ORLEN, Piotr Miecznikowski, President of the Management Board, Honeywell, Artur Pierscionek, Director of Heat Sales and Energy Transformation, Veolia, and Emanuele Pozzati, Polymers Engineering & Adwin Solutions Vice President of Nextchem (MAIRE Group).

Promoted by Fondazione MAIRE – ETS and carried out with Ipsos Doxa, with the support of MAIRE, the research has been tracking public awareness of the energy transition worldwide since 2023, looking beyond low- or zero-emission energy production to include the transformation of industrial processes, products, business models, distribution systems, and the skills required to enable this shift.

The 2026 edition expanded the European scope of the survey by including Germany, Poland and the Netherlands, bringing the total number of countries covered to 17[1]. In Poland, the findings portray a country where the energy transition is not rejected, but rather examined through a highly rational lens, in which climate goals must be balanced with socio-economic stability, the cost of decarbonization and the need to protect strategic industrial sectors.

In Poland, awareness of the energy transition remains superficial: 58% of the respondents say they have only a vague understanding, while just 39% consider themselves very familiar with it. This helps explain why the energy transition ranks as the lowest priority among the European countries, and also among all the 17 Countries of the research panel, with only 20% of respondents identifying it as a top priority and 66% placing it on the same level as other key issues. The findings point to a cautious and pragmatic national approach, shaped by concerns over socio-economic stability, industrial competitiveness and energy security.

This perspective is reflected in the strong attention paid to economic and social trade-offs. While 25% of respondents are concerned about job losses in traditional sectors, 31% also recognise the potential for job creation in sustainable industries. Responsibility for the transition is seen as shared almost equally among private companies, politicians and citizens, while expectations remain concrete: respondents call for greater innovation from business, stronger institutional support for new technologies, and a transition that is evidence-based, well-managed and supported by skills development. In this context, training emerges as a key enabler: only 4% feel the Country is fully prepared for the transition, 87% say it needs to improve training, and 79% highlight the importance of hybrid professionals combining technical expertise with soft skills such as critical thinking.

MAIRE is a leading engineering group providing technology solutions and project execution in the downstream segment of energy services, as well as in the chemical and fertilizers industries, with 10.800 employees in 50 countries. In Poland, the Group benefits from a strong and well-rooted industrial presence through KTI Poland S.A., an international EPC company established in 2006 from Technip heritage. With solid expertise in the design and implementation of plants for the oil & gas, petrochemical, chemical and energy industries, KTI Poland delivers services across the full project lifecycle, from feasibility studies and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) to detailed engineering and construction management. Based in Płock – one of the country’s key industrial hubs – and with offices in Warsaw, the company brings together multidisciplinary engineering expertise and execution capabilities to support the efficient delivery of complex industrial initiatives.

Fabrizio Di Amato, Chairman of MAIRE and Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, remarked: “The Polish outlook confirms that the energy transition must move forward with pragmatism, responsibility and a clear industrial vision. With our consolidated presence in Poland, which we regard as a strategic platform for further growth in Central and Eastern Europe, MAIRE sees this market as a key hub for advancing innovative industrial solutions. In other words, Poland is a key pillar in our European strategy, which is based on Group's rooted presence in 6 countries of our continent such as Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, UK and Poland. Today, energy transition is a key to reach energy security, and create industrial competitiveness, by converting sectors linked to the traditional economy to new low carbon processes and products, and introducing circularity into the economy. This requires execution capabilities, investment in innovation and the development of the right skills to support a transition that is an opportunity, where benefits may overcome costs”.

[1] The research draws insights from 2,850 individuals and integrates the views of 25 experts in 17 countries across 4 continents: Qatar, Saudia Arabia and the UAE for the Middle East; India, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey for Asia; USA, Chile and Argentina for the Americas; Algeria in Africa; Germany, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands and UK for Europe.

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Highlights from the Climate Goals’s research

The study covers Qatar, Saudia Arabia and the UAE for the Middle East; India, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey for Asia; USA, Chile and Argentina for the Americas; Italy, UK, Germany, Poland and The Netherlands (in this 2026 wave) for Europe; and Algeria in Africa.

Awareness. Germany and India lead in awareness on the energy transition, with 64 and 63% of the population feeling very familiar with the topic. It is closely followed by the Netherlands (59%). In contrast, Poland shows a superficial understanding: only 39% feel very prepared. Argentina (36%) and Kazakhstan (29%) rank among the last for in-depth familiarity with the topic.

Priorities.The climate agenda is competing with other topics and issues, but the energy transition remains a priority for 70% of the respondents in India and Turkey, followed by 67% of Qatar and 65% of UAE. The three European Countries included in 2026 edition of the survey have surprisingly set the energy transition among the lowest priorities: the Netherlands is the most committed, Germany shows a more balanced and cautious approach,  the lowest rate is in Poland, with only 20% of the sample giving it top priority (lower than Argentina and Kazakhstan) and 66% recognizing priority on par with other themes. 

Opportunities. Algerians are the most convinced about cleaner environment, health benefits and job opportunities. India and Saudi Arabia emphasize the potential to boost women’s inclusion. For China, as well as for Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland, the creation of new jobs in sustainable sectors is an expected benefit, as also the reach of a cleaner environment and reduce global warming.

Governments. Governmental priority commitment is most positively rated in India (71%), Saudi Arabia (62%), compared to Kazakhstan (15%), Poland (21%) and Argentina (23%).

Leadership. Chinese participants feel their country is leading compared to the others and almost half of respondents place high importance on sustainable innovation of production processes, products and services, with 68% seeing technology as important for the energy transition. Technology emerges as the dominant priority also across Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.

Challenges. Algeria, Poland and China struggle to raise public awareness; Chile faces hurdles in private sector renewable adaptation. Ensuring the active involvement of all stakeholders is a challenge for China. Infrastructure development is a focus in the UAE, USA, Germany Netherlands, Poland and Kazakhstan. Training of professionals is a key goal in Azerbaijan. Qatar shows concern about job losses in traditional sectors. Turkey, Algeria, the USA, and the UK emphasize the importance of development of energy and environmental policies.

Pros&Cons. Kazakhstan shows the highest level of concern over whether the energy transition costs will exceed benefits. Conversely, half of respondents in Saudi Arabia believe that benefits of the energy transition will outweigh the costs initially, balancing out over time. In Europe, a "short-term pain" mindset prevails, with long-term optimism in Germany and the Netherlands contrasting with Poland, which remains a skeptical outlier expecting costs and benefits to stay balanced.

Education. China and Chile recognize the urgency for improved training programs on energy transition, whereas Poland and the Netherlands show less urgency, yet a high percentage still wants training within the next 2-3 years, (65% and 69% respectively). India (28%), SA (24%) and Germany (22%) report the highest level of confidence in terms of preparation. Overall, the global consensus underscores the need for both soft and hard skills to develop well-rounded professionals, which is essential for advancing the energy transition. Kazakhstan reports a severe shortage of skilled professionals for the energy transition, with mostly positive assessments from China and India.

Skills. Many countries recognize the importance of problem solving, critical thinking and creativity and innovation as essential soft skills in this sector. Technical skill in environmental impact assessment is highly required in Azerbaijan and Poland, while knowledge of renewable energy sources is required in Algeria Germany and Poland, and expertise in alternative renewable and recycled feedstocks is highly required in Algeria, Qatar, China, Netherlands and the USA.

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To learn more about Climate Goals Addendum 3: Climate goals addendum 3 2026 | Fondazione.

To explore the topics in depth and read the four publications: Studies | Fondazione.