Warsaw eyes relaxed EU coal plans
PR dla Zagranicy
Jo Harper
15.07.2015 13:05
The European Commission is expected to unveil its climate change plans in Brussels on Wednesday, with a draft reform of the carbon dioxide permit system expected to be the key element.
Photo: Wikipedia
The government's eyes will be on the commission’s plans related to coal given the country’s reliance on the fossil fuel.
According to unofficial Polish Radio sources, the commission's report may be more favourable for Poland than previously expected.
The proposed reforms hinge on the relative size of incentives granted to renewable and fossil fuel energy producers. Talks were started as a consequence of the findings of the climate summit in October, where it was agreed that the European Union would speed up reductions of CO2 emissions.
Coal mining in Poland produces about 55 percent of primary energy consumption and 75 percent of electricity generation. Poland is the second-largest coal-mining country in Europe, after Germany, and the ninth-largest coal producer in the world.
In January PM Ewa Kopacz rescinded plans to restructure the industry in the face of strong opposition from mining unions, long a political force to be reckoned with. (jh)