Poland set to mine rise in worldwide coal demand

A new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that the global demand for coal is set to increase over the next four years.

According to the IEA's report, which was unveiled in the southern city of Katowice on Monday, China is currently the world's largest importer, and producer, of coal.

However, the IEA believes that India may overtake China as the biggest coal importer this year.

Nevertheless, Poland, which also produces 90 percent of its electricity from coal, is currently grappling with the EU's so-called “Climate Package”, which seeks to cut down carbon dioxide emissions at coal-fuelled power plants.

“Coal gives us independence in the field of energy,” said Deputy Minister of the Economy, Tomasz Tomczykiewicz, in an interview with the Rzeczpospolita daily following Monday's presentation.

He claimed that Poland will fulfil its carbon dioxide reduction quota, as set by the EU for 2020, but he stressed that the long-term EU plan for reductions by 2050 had not been accepted by Poland, and that Warsaw should remain firm on this.

Meanwhile, Professor Maciej Kaliski, former Deputy Minister of the Economy and current chairman of the supervisory board of Kompania Weglowa - Poland's largest coal producer - stressed that so-called clean coal technology is the way forward.

“We need to back a low-emissions economy, and not a low-carbon one,” he said.
Kompania Weglowa is currently planning a new power plant that will significantly reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. (nh/pg)