Climate change is REAL, Mr Tusk!

Climate talks are more than just cabbage dumplings, apples and power giant-sponsored water kiosks…

Poland…err, sorry, COALAND, has completely lost it this time! The Polish Government has been hosting the United Nations climate change conference this year, where leaders from all over the world have come to ‘talk’ on how to tackle the wrath of the nature; to deal with the contentious issue like climate change (I am sparing you the jaw-breaking jargons that comes for free with it, today). The tagline for COP19 this year is: ‘I Care!’

Well, that is what one would assume — that it cares for the climate. But, disappointment got better of it right from the opening day, farce looming over National Stadium in Warsaw as Philippine lead negotiator Yeb Sano pleaded to the leaders and people to “stop the madness of climate change”. A few days before the talks begun, there was a post made on the official website of the COP19 about the economic ‘opportunities’ that Arctic ice-melt would bring while chasing pirates, ecologists and terrorists off the seas. But this stupidity reached its heights when the COP iPhone app was launched. It greets you with a very intriguing welcome message: “Climate changes are natural phenomena, which occurred already many times on earth.” Farce indeed!

But the farce doesn’t stop here. The Polish Government announced twelve corporate partners of the conference. While the Polish Environment Ministry suggests, “The products and services they [the partners] offer are green,” many of the corporate partners’ histories tell stories of a different hue. This decision to openly embrace corporate partners for COP19 begs the question of whether this is simply a greenwashing exercise for the coal and oil corporations involved.

Let’s have a look at who ‘cares’ for the climate and is committed to make this year’s conference a huge ‘success’. First in the list is Arcelor Mittal. It is the world’s largest steel and mining company, and has been accused of resisting the European Union’s emission trading scheme. Media reports points that, the company’s annual emissions are approximately equal to those of the Czech Republic. The Lakshmi Mittal-owned steel hub has built the main conference hall for FREE! Next in the league of gentlemen is Alstom Power, the French company which made it as one the seven finalists for the People’s Public Eye Award in 2003, courtesy its numerous bribery scams. LOTOS Group is next in line. This Polish oil company produces gasoline, diesel, fuel oils, aviation fuels, and bitumens (need we say more how clean it is?) LOTOS is distributing bags, flash drives and other goodies and APPLES (COP19 logo embossed on them; they did not even spare the hapless fruit) to all participants attending CoP19.

PGE Polish Energy Group is yet another one (doling out free notebooks and pens). This state-owned power company is the largest power producer in Poland and operates two large lignite coal mines and more than 40 power stations. PGE’s lignite power plant in Belchatow is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in all of Europe. BMW, Emirates, Alstom, International Paper, OPEL and Europress are some of the other corporates sharing the banner space at COP19.

However, the choice of Warsaw for the UN Climate Talks was already controversial even without explicit fossil fuel sponsorship. The Polish Government is infamous as far as environmental policy track-record is concerned. It is one of the biggest polluters in Europe — thanks to its inclination towards lignite coal (said to be the dirtiest and lowest quality coal) — with a carbon footprint larger than Spain’s, despite hosting a smaller population and economy. More than 90 per cent of Poland’s electricity generation is dependent on coal.

The Polish Government has been continuously blocking European efforts for climate action over fears of the potential economic impact. In March 2013, the European Union’s Court of Justice took notice of Poland’s failure to nationalise a European renewable energy targets.

So, although the fossil fuel industry will get a rare chance to play a more prominent role in the climate change debate (ironically so), the move that has nullified the idea of holding a COP is an announcement that the Polish Government will also preside over a high-level coal industry event on the sidelines of the two-week climate conference. The World Coal Association has announced that the Polish Ministry of Economy will host its International Coal and Climate Summit in Warsaw between November 18 and 19. It has also acknowledged support of Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechociński to the World Coal Association’s Warsaw Communique, advocating for continued use of coal. WOW! What a cocktail!

Coal, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of Poland’s electricity generation, won’t go away anytime soon. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk made his stand clear too when he said at a recent gathering that, “Poland will continue to back coal and invest in the coal-mining industry”. He declared that the country’s economy will continue to be based on coal, “but in a more modern way”. The director of the Climate Action Network in Europe, Wendel Trio, said: It’s been seen as a real provocation and a statement from the Polish Government that they have no intention to move away from coal”. But, Mr Tusk is sadly not connected to the ground reality.

Based on a public opinion poll commissioned by Greenpeace and executed by the Public Opinion Research Center, 89 per cent of Polish citizens want more energy coming from renewable sources, while more than two-thirds of the country’s citizens want energy policy supporting the development of RE. This is compared to coal and lignite support at 18 per cent and nuclear energy support at 16 per cent, in clear contradiction with the view of the Government. There seems to be a big gap between what Polish people want and what their Government, mired in vested interests, plans to impose upon them — currently, coal contributes to 90 per cent of Poland’s energy mix. Mr Tusk stated, “The future of Polish energy is in brown and black coal, as well as shale gas. Some wanted coal to be dispensed with, but energy independence requires not only the diversification of energy resources, but also the maximum use of one’s own resources.”

The Polish Government is holding the world back and acting as the mouthpiece of fossil-fuel industries. But, the people here want to adopt a renewable future, and abandon the soot-covered road.

Calling the #Arctic30 pirates and eco-terrorists or banning the activists from attending UN conferences (three activists have been expelled for five years from attending any UN conference for holding a sign in solidarity for Hayian victims of the Philippines) is not going to stop the climate movement from building stronger than ever. Poland received the #FossilOfTheDay award at Tuesday’s close here for its commitment to stick to fossil-fuel based energy and presenting the delegates with standard climate denialist rhetoric that climate change is an “illusion”. To quote Yeb Sano, once again: “To anyone who continues to deny the reality that is climate change, I dare you to get off your ivory tower and away from the comfort of your armchair…” It’s time to read the writings on the wall. Mr Tusk must pay a visit to the Philippines right now.