06 Mar 2007 - Brussels,
Belgium – Poland could scupper the European
Council’s planned reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions by threatening its combined
energy and climate policy for Europe, warns
WWF.
At the European Council of 8–9 March, European
Heads of State and Government are scheduled
to establish targets that will push Europe
to cut its greenhouse gas emissions and
increase the use of renewable energy. The
Council should agree to a reduction by 20–30
per cent of the EU’s greenhouse gases and
aim at a binding target of 20 per cent for
energy produced from renewable sources by
2020.
However, Poland is a major obstacle to
negotiations as it opposes almost all essential
parts of the so-called “EU energy package”,
including the unilateral target of 20 per
cent greenhouse gas reduction with an upgrade
to 30 per cent if other countries will join
on the same path. Poland is also opposed
to a binding target for renewable energy
and is watering down language on energy
efficiency and energy savings.
“European leaders must ignore the Polish
government attempts to ruin EU climate policy,”
says Stephan Singer, Head of WWF’s European
Climate and Energy Unit.
“With the infrastructure works for Via
Baltica which threaten important natural
areas and are in breach of commonly agreed
EU laws, Poland has recently shown how little
it cares for the environment and future
generations.”
“In order to achieve a low-carbon future,
it is essential for EU leaders to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30 per
cent by 2020. A sound energy policy for
Europe must therefore emerge from the European
Council with clear and binding targets for
energy efficiency and renewables if Europe
wants to be a credible partner in the fight
to climate change,” added Wojciech Stepniewski,
Climate and Energy Project Leader at WWF-Poland.
Dr Stephan Singer, Head of European Climate
and Energy Unit
WWF European Policy Office
Wojciech Stepniewski, Climate and Energy
Project Leader
WWF-Poland
