COP-21: Central Europe satisfied with Paris results

COP-21: Central Europe satisfied with Paris results

Jan 29, 2016

The COP-21 climate summit in Paris resulted in an important and fair compromise. All references to decarbonisation were removed from the landmark deal. Instead, a clause on protecting forests was included. This powerful contribution from the Polish delegation proves that climate and economic goals may be achieved, if based on a reasonable balance between carbon output and emission absorption. Central European states delegations made considerable and widely appreciated impact on COP-21 proceedings. That refers particularly to Poland - the region’s largest player. Prime Minister Beata Szydło and Jan Szyszko Minister for Environment arrived in Paris well-armed with facts and figures and willing to defend its energy sector and energy-intensive industry. The two strategic aims were clearly defined. The first one was to reach a truly global, rather than regional agreement. It was obvious that failure to work out a universal compromise would be dangerous for the European Union. Although EU member states are responsible for only 11% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, they take the lead in their reduction. It is a heavy burden which results in the competitiveness of the European economy continuously falling. [Tweet "It is the transparency of data that Central Europe Energy Partners has been calling for ahead of COP-21"]The other goal was to make sure that, general as the final agreement should be, it would allow each nation to protect its specific interests. This was not a question of a symbolic gesture, but a factor that may have a fundamental meaning for defining individual environmental burdens and policies in the forthcoming years. This is especially important, as in the past decade, the global debate [...]