As negotiations at the 19th Conference of the Parties (COP19) roll into their second week, the madness of Poland allowing the coal industry to sponsor the COP is climbing to greater heights as the World Coal Association (WCA) begins a conference of its own alongside the COP. The cosy relationship between the industry and the Polish government has led to COP19 being dubbed the “Coal COP” in “Coaland”. It illustrates just how deep the industry’s influence is in the country, and the extreme lengths Poland is prepared to go to in order to protect it.

The future of the coal industry was called into question by scientists, health professionals and environmental activists frustrated by pro-coal firms descending on Warsaw for a major conference during international climate talks (COP19). The Polish government added to its growing collection of slapstick diplomatic moves by inviting the World Coal Association (WCA) to unveil plans for “high-efficiency” or “clean” coal during the UN climate negotiations where Donald Tusk and his gang are also playing the hosts. With the Polish government wrapping up climate problems and selling them as solutions, 27 top scientists from around the world were moved to jointly discredit the claim that “high efficiency coal” represents the energy of the future.

In accord, health and environmental activists took to the streets to protest outside the WCA conference, arguing that the Polish government’s deep support for the dirtiest of fuels is in defiance of the science, health concerns, and the deteriorating economics of coal as the world moves away from fossil fuels…(big thanks to the Tree)

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