“Coal-aholics”: Poland Wages War on Efforts to Save the Climate

Der Spiegel ^ | 12/21/12 | Joel Stonington

[Olog-hai]

Poland is addicted to coal. That is the message the country has been sending both domestically and internationally as Warsaw prepares to host the global climate summit next year. In Europe, the Poles are isolated in their fight for looser emissions reduction goals and against fixes to the EU’s cap-and-trade system. …

The apparent pressure on environmental groups, while concerning, does not seem inconsistent with Warsaw’s approach to issues relating to climate change. On Monday, coal-dependent Poland continued its virtually solitary opposition to a widely-supported—and badly needed—short-term fix for Europe’s carbon-trading system, the continent’s flagship policy in the fight against global warming. Such obstreperousness, however, has not led to Poland’s being internationally ostracized. On the contrary, even as the country helped block Europe’s ability to present a unified front at the recent climate change conference in Doha, Poland was chosen to host the next conference in 2013.

It is a decision which seems destined to make next year’s conference, aimed at fashioning a global pact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, just as unsuccessful as in years past. …

[Olog-hai]

Meanwhile, the rest of the continent is increasing coal usage. Talk about leftist hypocrisy.

[hinckley buzzard]

Der Spiegel is Germany's equivalent to TIME magazine. Not to be taken as authoritative on much, if anything, without external corroboration. They know, and Europe knows, that the heyday of green weenies sucking up zillions for crackpot "alternative energy" schemes is almost over.

[FlingWingFlyer]

“...Save the climate.” ROTFL! These guys are funny. We gonna save dat climate!

[Gay State Conservative]

It’s been my understanding for years that coal is a very important part of Poland’s economy.Recent polls in Britain suggest that the Brits are just about fed up with the EU and it’s said that a national referendum on membership will soon occur.Perhaps Poland should consider *their* position in the EU.

[JoeFromSidney]

This is ridiculous. There has been no warming since 1996 (trend is flat; only seasonal ups and downs). Moreover, there is new evidence that what warming there was was due to the sun, not CO2.

[Olog-hai]

Indeed. The only “warming” that one will find in the data is a total of one degree Celsius allegedly averaged over the entire globe over more than a century, using instruments of varying sensitivities and radically different means of calibration. As my quantitative analysis professor told me, “All measurements are wrong” . . . and even in the case where you are lucky to be accurate, one degree of “average” warming over such a long period means diddly-squat.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Time to purchase a coal burning stove and burn some coal so I can share in that addiction. And coal is cheaper than wood.

[tumblindice]

The Poles are very serious about this, even considering terrorism. They recently tested some recruits by instructing them to blow up some empty cars for practice, planning for the conference. But the candidates all came back with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on their lips from hot tailpipes.

[Salman]

Poland not obeying Germany.

Carry on. ;)

[dfwgator]

Żeby Polska była Polską. (Let Poland Be Poland)