“Emission reduction really took place in Poland, at the price of high social costs.”
Hoping to win over EU critics of Poland’s recent stance on climate change, the environment minister said Friday that the coal-powered nation will make every effort to pave the way for a lasting deal in 2015 when it hosts a UN global warming conference in November.
Last year, Poland vetoed the EU’s road map for emissions reductions beyond 2020, drawing sharp criticism from environmental groups and EU officials.
Poland relies on coal for more than 90 percent of its electricity. Aiming to protect coal mining jobs and a major home industry, the government plans to continue relying on coal in the coming decades.