Katowice has again become the stage for Central Europe’s climate conversation, though this year the accent falls squarely on economics. The fifth edition of the conference, running for the first time under the name Business PRECOP, opened on 30 September at the International Congress Centre and continues through 1 October 2026.
The gathering is organised by UN Global Compact Network Poland, part of the world’s largest UN-backed sustainable business initiative, together with the PTWP Group, the company behind the European Economic Congress. Its stated aim is to prepare participants for COP31, the UN Climate Change Conference scheduled for 9-20 November 2026 in Antalya, Turkey.
The programme packs 30 debates and panel discussions and 150 speakers drawn from UN and EU bodies, public administration, business, academia and civil society organisations. Subjects stretch from waste management and the freshly launched deposit return system to sustainable transport, green investment and the environmental side of the fashion industry.
A reality check for green policy
Europe is simultaneously confronting rising regulatory costs, competitive pressure from the United States and China, and the need to protect economic security. Against that backdrop the organisers want to move the discussion from ambition to execution, showing how global environmental targets can be translated into concrete investment decisions, corporate strategies and the development of cities and regions.
– The conversation about climate is today also a conversation about competitiveness, energy costs, financing investment and the resilience of the economy. Business PRECOP is meant to connect those perspectives and create room to talk about solutions that companies, local governments and financial institutions can implement right now. We want the conclusions from Katowice to be a practical contribution to the debate preceding COP31 – said Wojciech Kuśpik, president of the PTWP Group.
– Ahead of COP31 we need a discussion that takes into account both the scale of the challenges and the real conditions in which business operates. Business PRECOP is a place where the global perspective of UN negotiations is confronted with economic practice, and where the voice of entrepreneurs meets the perspective of administration, science and international organisations – stressed Kamil Wyszkowski, executive director of UN Global Compact Network Poland.
What companies and cities will be watching
Business audiences are likely to gravitate towards sessions on the circular economy, the economics of recycling, new rules for packaging and the textile sector, and responsibility for the environmental footprint inside supply chains. The agenda also covers the valuation of natural resources and raw material management, the energy resilience of local authorities, and the future of transport and mobility.
The opening session carries a telling title: „Europe after the era of green enthusiasm. How to reconcile climate, economy and competitiveness?” It begins at 9:00 and is streamed on the WNP portal, setting the frame for the two days that follow. The debate is devoted to a new, more pragmatic model of transformation built on economic resilience, security and what can realistically be delivered.
Day one is aimed chiefly at the business community. Day two shifts towards topics of interest to companies as well as to city and regional leaders: the energy transformation of the economy, adaptation to the effects of climate change, water security, sustainable construction and new architectural solutions, food security seen through the lens of biodiversity protection, and the role of climate education.
The panel core is padded out with side events and expert meetings. On the first day the Green Changer gala will reveal the recipients of this year’s Business PRECOP distinction, awarded to individuals, institutions and project authors. The honorary prizes highlight activity promoting climate action and sustainable lifestyles, along with ventures, ideas and good practices serving the environment. Both days include conversations in the Climate Talks format.
Energy Days, described as the country’s most important event for the energy sector, runs in parallel at the same venue. The International Congress Centre previously hosted the COP 24 conference in 2018, and the PRECOP series has since made Katowice a Central European hub for climate and economic debate.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PTWP
