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 [...]
CEEP members all feel the same effect: the Paris agreement is bringing a new framework for their business activities in the energy sector and energy-intensive industries. The main challenge is the general and declarative form of the final document. This demands a specified action plan, which needs to be tailor-made for each market. It goes without saying that the global character of the Paris agreement is a major step towards enhancing the global climate perspective. “We welcome the fact that a large part of the international community has come together to formulate a framework settlement. . Yet, binding and comparable targets were not specified. We are still far away from a fair global level playing field for industry in the sphere of climate policy,” noted Tomasz Ślęzak, Country Manager of ArcelorMittal Poland. To illustrate his point, he turned to the European steel industry, as a good example, when analysing the effects of the Paris deal, indicating that Europe is already the most efficient steel production region in the world. Yet, the reform of the ETS will be of utmost importance for us within the global CO2 reduction targets that were discussed in Paris. Currently, the ETS reform proposals leads to a large gap of free allowances for EU steel producers towards competitors outside the EU. “Thus, we first need a global level playing field. Binding climate targets should, therefore, take into account the regional situations and CO2 reduction potentials,” noted Mr. Ślęzak. [Tweet "Wacław Gąsior, KGHM: a more rational ETS policy is a must"]The challenge facing the steel industry is that the current ETS proposals would lead to huge [...]
In a few words
We represent the widely understood Central Europe energy sector (electricity generation, distribution and transmission, renewables, gas, oil, heat generation and distribution, chemical industries, etc.), universities and scientific institutions.
