WARSAW (Poland) — The Polish prime minister pledged Thursday that he would support increased production at the country’s coal mines to lower heating and energy costs. This is in response to rising energy prices and war in Ukraine.
The pledge made by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in parliament is in direct contradiction to Poland’s climate change obligations. It also goes against the gradual steps that it is taking in order to reduce its use and production of coal to combat global warming.
However, Russia’s invasion in Ukraine and EU bans against some Russian energy sources has led to sudden shortages and increased fuel prices. Europe’s governments are searching for alternative sources of energy and fuel.
In the last 12 months, Poland’s coal prices have risen 100%. This has caused widespread anxiety as one third of Polish households are heated by coal. Poland is dependent on coal for 70% of its energy requirements, which is a much higher percentage than any of the 27 EU member countries.
Morawiecki stated that a program for increased coal extraction will be implemented in Poland’s collieries.
The Polish government wants to lower the prices of fossil fuels ahead of next heating season, to the level they were before the sudden rise linked to Russia’s embargo. Morawiecki stated that we will achieve this.
In reality, European energy prices had been on the rise for months before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th.
Poland reported that in the first four months of 2022, 19 million tons of coal had been produced in its mines. This was 155,000 more than the previous year.
Poland insists its withdrawal from coal mining, which has large amounts of coal, must be slower than other European countries, as it has not yet developed enough alternative energy sources. Poland’s coal mining industry is also a major employment sector.
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