While Europe’s green backlash grows, Poland tells different story
As the backlash against laws protecting nature intensifies across Europe, public pressure has helped push forests centre stage in Poland
Poland
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Polish election result improves prospects for EU climate ambition
The defeat of Poland’s Law and Justice party is expected to speed up the roll-out of renewables in Poland and boost cooperation with Brussels
Plans to turn Europe’s biggest coal mine into a leisure lake prove divisive
Transition experts say repurposing Poland’s Bełchatów mine and power plant for renewables not recreation could bring more jobs, revenue and electricity
‘Misleading’ Polish billboards blame EU climate policy for electricity costs
State-owned utilities are using rising energy costs to attack the EU emissions trading system, stoking tensions between Warsaw and Brussels
Poland seeks to nationalise coal plants so firms can finance green investments
Warsaw’s energy transition proposals will require state aid approval from the European Commission, which is expected to insist on a coal exit date
Poland, Hungary threaten to derail EU plans to raise 2030 climate ambition
Efforts to strengthen the EU climate target risk being sidelined as leaders head for a showdown over democratic values
Poland’s largest utility announces pivot from coal to renewables
PGE has announced a strategy to go 100% renewable by 2050, but it depends on passing responsibility for coal mines to another Polish state-owned entity
Poland agrees coal mining phase out with unions by 2049
Agreeing an end date for coal mining is a big step for Polish trade unions, but climate experts say 2049 is too late and Brussels won’t agree to state aid plans
Poland bails out coal, yet wins access to EU climate funds
Warsaw can get EU money allocated for greening the economy, despite having no plan to exit coal or commitment to the bloc’s 2050 net zero emissions goal
Covid-19 outbreak in Polish coal mines heaps further pain on struggling sector
The health crisis could lead to mine closures and further weaken Poland’s coal industry, which has lobbied against tough EU climate targets
Court blocks Polish coal plant, in win for climate campaigners
Client Earth successfully challenged the Ostrołęka C project on behalf of shareholders, arguing it was a bad financial bet as renewables become competitive
Carbon clubs turn national self-interest into climate action
How did Poland, one of Europe’s strongest advocates for coal power, end up with one of the world’s strongest carbon prices?
Polish trade union Solidarity rejects climate science consensus
In a joint statement with US denialist think-tank the Heartland Institute, Solidarity expressed scepticism of UN conclusions on the dangers of global warming
On their patron saint’s day, Polish miners pray for a decent future
Twenty kilometres from Cop24 climate talks in Katowice, mining trade unionists look to St Barbara, not Warsaw, Brussels or the UN, for answers to their struggles
Greenpeace threatens to sue coal utility in Poland
Activists are calling on PGE to phase out coal by 2030 and switch to clean energy, or face legal action
Polish government split over coal ahead of UN climate summit
The energy minister has published a statement in defence of coal, which was swiftly disavowed by the presidency of the upcoming Cop24 climate negotiations
Polish utility sued over financial risk of €1.2bn coal plant
Client Earth argues the Ostrołęka C power plant investment is a bad bet, putting the spotlight on Poland’s support for coal as it gears up to host UN climate talks
Poland’s plan to leave its mark on UN climate talks
Declarations on forests, electric vehicles and the impact of climate action on coal workers will be a central legacy of this year’s talks in Katowice
Poland’s ‘last coal power plant’ depends on subsidies, say analysts
A planned EU phase-out of state aid to fossil fuel power generation could make the Ostrołęka C coal station project unprofitable within years, according to Carbon Tracker
Climate action must protect economy and society, say Germany and Poland
As officials meet for talks in Berlin, Europe’s biggest coal states call for a ‘just transition’ from fossil fuels
UN climate chief steps in to resolve Poland COP24 presidency spat
Patricia Espinosa backed Polish government nominee Michał Kurtyka to preside over Katowice talks, despite a bid by Jan Szyszko to keep the role
Poland to put ‘common sense’ over climate ambition as host of critical UN talks
In exclusive interviews, Poland’s climate chief said “calls for ambition bring nothing” while the environment ministry refused to back science on cause of climate change
Polish police set to restrict protest and gather personal data at UN climate talks
Draft law worries civil society groups, who say they are already being excluded from the international climate process
UN climate conference 2018 heads to heartland of Polish coal
Katowice, home to the largest coal company in the EU, will host the pivotal 2018 climate talks