Throughout the Foundry Review, issue 1-2/2019 we start New Year 2019, which according to forecasts should abound in many interesting, but at the same time not always favorable, events. Fortunately, one which took place in the second half of last year and moved not only the foundry environment, has finally reached a solution. The government has made the appropriate decisions to prevent the tragic, for many enterprises including foundries, effects of a reckless increase in electricity and gas prices. Letters from the Ministry of Energy from January 29^th, 2019 concerning this matter were sent to all branches of our Association and more than a dozen foundries.

Another positive news are connected to the decisions made at the Climate Summit in Katowice. This summit took place on 2^nd-14^th December 2018. Nearly 30,000 people participated in it. During the negotiations, representatives from 196 countries from around the world, including the European Union, debated on the so-called “Katowice Climate Package”, which is a multi-faceted agreement that globally recognizes problems related to responsibility for the fate of the entire Earth.

The adopted “Package”, if implemented in the countries that have signed it, gives the chance to reduce CO₂ emissions gradually until 2020, 2030 and 2050, which will slow down the global warming. This, however, requires a reduction in the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 45% until 2030. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to intensify the introduction of renewable energy systems: wind, solar, water, etc. However, these systems do not have necessary priority in majority of countries. Another important factor for the achievement of this goals is the protection of forests and their surface areas from being reduced. The issues discussed at the Climate Summit in Katowice are of paramount importance in preventing a difficult global catastrophe, and should therefore become crucial for those whose intellectual competence could prevent it. In this group there are definitely engineers, who have however, very limited possibilities without the support of politicians and ruling parties.

Another good information from the beginning of the new year is the participation of the Faculty of Foundry Engineering of the AGH University of Science and Technology in the Integrated Development Program of the University. The project is co-financed by the European Social Development Fund under the Operational Program of Knowledge and Education Development 2014-2020. In addition to participating in certified vocational training and study visits at employers facilities, faculty students will be able to participate in internship programs. As part of the internship, the students of the last semester of the second-degree (Master’s) studies will go on three month paid internships to leading companies from the foundry industry all over Poland. The funds from the project will also cover the costs of accommodation, insurance and medical examinations. For three consecutive years (2019-2021), 113 students (67 from the field of Foundry Engineering and 46 from Computer Aided Engineering) will be able to benefit from this internship support. Participation in the Student Project of the Faculty of Foundry Engineering AGH, proves that the rector’s authorities acknowledge the foundry industry as an important branch for the development of the economy. Thanks to this project, Polish foundry industry will be able to employ well prepared young graduates of the Faculty of Foundry Engineering.

Among all this positive information, there are still forecasts signaling the symptoms of impending crisis in the global economy. However, one should hope that even if the crisis develops it will not be ruinous for the economy that will survive it in a gentle way.

We inform the members of our Association that 2019 is the year of reports and elections, which will be completed by the next General Assembly of Delegates. It will be held in Krakow on December 5^th, 2019.

In the current notebook, Dear Reader, you will find the following publications:

• Polish Foundrymen’s Associations’ messages,
• Calendar of domestic and foreign foundry events,
• Current overview of foreign foundry literature.