Poland aims to pave way for 2015 climate deal

Source: AP-Excite

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Hoping to win over EU critics of Poland's recent stance on climate change, the environment minister said Friday that the coal-powered nation will make every effort to pave the way for a lasting deal in 2015 when it hosts a U.N. global warming conference in November.

Last year, Poland vetoed the EU's road map for emissions reductions beyond 2020, drawing sharp criticism from environmental groups and EU officials.

Poland relies on coal for more than 90 percent of its electricity. Aiming to protect coal mining jobs and a major home industry, the government plans to continue relying on coal in the coming decades.

But Environment Minister Marcin Korolec told The Associated Press that Poland has been at the forefront of climate change policy, reducing carbon emissions by 30 percent in recent years, compared to the 6 percent requirement written into the Kyoto Protocol. He said some of Poland's critics in Europe - he didn't name them - hardly met the 6 percent target.

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