|
13.03.2012 - The Roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050, discussed last Friday by the EU environment ministers, was rejected by Poland for the second time.
Poland rejected the Commission proposal of setting the long-term emissions reduction path for 2050, with 25% reduction target for 2020 and 40% cut of CO2 by 2030. The country, which relies on coal for more than 90% of its electric power, fears the 25% cut in CO2 emissions by 2020. According to Poland this cut would make energy more costly and such milestones would not allow each country to move at its own pace and decide its own energy mix.
Poland was the only country to veto the Commission’s Climate Roadmap for the second time (first rejection was in June 2011). Regardless of the Polish veto, the Danish Presidency and the other 26 member states explicitly asked the Commission to move on and work on further measures needed to reach the cost-efficient milestones that will lead us to a low-carbon future.
Moving towards low-carbon economy will require a fundamental change in the energy policy of the EU and the member states. Achieving considerable CO2 reduction cuts, up to 80-95%, will require ambitious policies and a new CO2 reduction target beyond 2020.
The Commissioner for Climate Action, Connie Hedegaard, said at the end of the Council’s meeting that “'Poland's no to the European Commission low-carbon Roadmap is unfortunate, but it will not stop Europe from moving on with its transition to a low-carbon economy”. The low-carbon transition is on its way with a very ambitious Energy Efficiency Directive that the European Council wants to adopt already in June this year and the Commission's budget proposal with an ambitious climate mainstreaming objective.
The Low Carbon Roadmap may still be taken up again at June's environment council or during the Irish presidency, at the beginning of 2013.
For further information:
|
