What you will learn from this article:
- What the current plans are regarding the abolition of daylight saving time in Poland
- What the arguments for and against changing the clocks are
- What the situation is like in other European countries and around the world
Daylight saving time – a relic of the past?
Daylight saving time, switching from winter to summer time and back, was once a solution intended to improve energy efficiency. Introduced on a wide scale in the 20th century, today it raises more and more doubts. In Poland, the topic returns cyclically – especially during the March and October time changes – sparking both social and political discussions.In 2024, the government once again announced that it is analysing the possibility of abandoning the mandatory changing of clocks. Although no decision has been made yet, consultations are ongoing, and public support for a permanent time is growing.
Why have people had enough?
Among the most frequently cited arguments against changing the time are:
- disruption of the circadian rhythm and sleep problems,
- a decline in concentration and work performance,
- an increase in the number of road accidents right after the time change,
- a lack of clear energy savings in the era of modern technologies.
According to a 2023 CBOS survey, as many as 74% of Poles support abolishing the time change and introducing a single, permanent time throughout the year.
What is the European Union planning?
In 2019, the European Parliament voted through a draft to abolish mandatory time changes in EU countries. Each member state was to decide whether to stay on summer or winter time.
The implementation deadline, initially planned for 2021, was postponed due to the pandemic and the lack of unanimity among member states.
Daylight saving time in Poland: what next for changing the clocks?
To this day, no binding decisions have been made at the level of the entire Union. Poland, although it has declared its willingness to abandon the time change, has not yet specified which variant would apply permanently.
What is it like in other countries?
Iceland and Belarus have long stopped changing their clocks. Russia abandoned daylight saving time in 2011, as did Turkey in 2016. In the USA, some states, such as Arizona and Hawaii, have not observed daylight saving time for years.
In turn, Spain, although it formally changes the time twice a year, is holding a broad public debate on abolishing it. Interestingly, geographically the country should be in a different time zone – the topic of time there also has a cultural dimension.
Does changing the time still make sense?
Although the energy benefits that were the main reason for introducing daylight saving time are of marginal importance today, some experts point to the positive aspects of summer time, such as longer evenings and better conditions for trade, gastronomy, and recreation.
However, most analyses indicate that the health, psychological, and organisational benefits of maintaining a permanent time may outweigh the economic arguments.
Summary
Although daylight saving time is still in force in Poland, the European and global trend points to a gradual departure from this practice. Will 2025 be the last year in which we change our clocks? That is not yet known, but more and more indicates that we are on the right path to saying goodbye to this custom.
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