Poland says virus fallout makes it ‘even more difficult’ to hit EU climate goal

(EurActiv, 27 Mar 2020) Poland, which relies heavily on coal-fired power stations, will find it even tougher to achieve the European Union’s climate goals because of the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy and companies, the government said on Wednesday (25 March).

Poland is the only EU nation that has yet to commit to the bloc’s target of driving down net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero by 2050, the centrepiece of the European Commission’s Green Deal.

The EU executive proposed laws to achieve the net zero goal this month but, since then, the rapidly spreading coronavirus has prompted sweeping measures across the bloc that have upended businesses and hammered the economic outlook.

“As a consequence of this crisis our economies will be weaker, companies will not have enough funds to invest, completion of some important energy projects may be delayed or even suspended,” Poland’s climate ministry told Reuters.

“These are real problems that we will be facing soon and achievement of our climate goals will be even more difficult because of them,” it said in a written response to questions.

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EurActiv, 27 Mar 2020: Poland says virus fallout makes it ‘even more difficult’ to hit EU climate goal