font_preload
PL / EN
Polish Briefing 11 December, 2018 9:00 am   
COMMENTS: Mateusz Gibała

Polish Briefing: COP24 is like a miners’ feast

What goes on in Poland on the 11th of December.

Piechociński: COP24 is like a miners’ feast

Poland has achievements in climate policy, which it should boast about. However, Janusz Piechociński, a former deputy prime minister and minister of economy, tells BiznesAlert.pl that it should not undertake “emotional” defense of mining.

– We are dealing with a confusion of concepts. We invited representatives of many countries to present Poland’s success and efforts to implement our commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. To show a modern Poland that has its problems and challenges, because our economy and energy are mostly based on coal – says Piechociński. He notes, however, that Poland has made a big effort and large investments: – We also have problems with smog. Over 30 of the 50 largest cities in Europe with the worst air are in Poland – he says.

– The world got used to the fact that Poland is active in the area of ​​climate policy. COP24 is already the third climate summit organized in our country. It turned out, however, that we invited delegates from around the world to show the Feast of Barbórka and that for Polish politicians these days the goal is to approach the miners. Not to mention that controversial energy policy provisions appeared just before the COP. The continuous change of position on the subject of energy or RES energy compensation also does not help – says the interlocutor of BiznesAlert.pl.

No one wants to “murder” Polish mining

Piechociński says that there are many surprising, infantile and emotional appearances in Polish politics. – How did the world take the words of the President of Poland – the country chairing COP24 – about the fact that he would not be able to murder Polish mining, if nobody wants to do it? Everyone wants to limit them, being aware that the world today has technology and capabilities in place to switch to less environmentally damaging methods of energy production – he says.

He also added that the developing countries and can not repeat the technological cycle of Europe or the United States and should have access to the best technologies. – The speech should praise the financial world, that through its involvement gives a signal for business and caution that those who do not keep up with trends will be less and less economically effective. In return, we had a spectacle for election campaigns in 2019 and 2020. Even the Polish miner is surprised that mining is to be “murdered” – says the ex-deputy prime minister.