Polish environment minister writes to counterparts urging them to reject push for 25 per cent emission reduction target

Poland is expected to oppose efforts by other EU member states to strengthen the bloc’s carbon targets at a crucial meeting of environment ministers in Brussels tomorrow.

Ministers are scheduled to approve plans for the EU’s 2050 roadmap, which sets out how the bloc plans to largely decarbonise its economy by mid-century

However, the current holder of the revolving EU presidency, Denmark, has been pushing for ministers to also discuss long-standing proposals to strengthen the EU’s emissions reduction target for 2020 from 20 per cent to 25 per cent, along with recent European Parliament plans to boost the price of carbon in the bloc’s emissions trading scheme.

The Danes are understood to have secured significant support as a majority of countries, including the UK, Germany and France, are now calling for increased targets for 2020.

But according to several reports, Poland is poised to veto any agreement on new targets and is pushing for the EU to align its long-term climate targets with the rest of the world.

In a letter to fellow environment ministers seen by both the Financial Times and news agency Reuters, Polish environment minister Marcin Korolec argued more ambitious low-carbon policies could undermine the EU’s competitiveness.

“There is no point whatsoever in gambling with the European economy’s future, introducing policies that might put our industries in jeopardy versus our competitors,” he wrote.

He also warned that intervening in the carbon market by withholding allowances in an attempt to drive up prices would “not only bring about grave political risks, but also undermine investor confidence in the stability of the EU climate legislation”.

In comments that will bring him into conflict with those member states keen to establish the EU as a leader in the development of the low-carbon economy, Korolec urged ministers to adopt post-2020 targets that are in line with those put forwards by other large economies under the long-running UN climate change negotiations.

“It is clear that after 2020, we should put all our efforts into the UNFCCC system and align the EU one to it,” he wrote.

The letter and the threat of a veto is likely to anger green businesses and NGOs, many of which have been warning that the EU needs to agree targets for the post-2020 period if the bloc is to drive long-term investment in low-carbon infrastructure.

They will also point to recent EU reports that show the impact of the recession on emissions means a more ambitious target for 2020 can be achieved at little additional cost.

Reports suggest that Poland is more isolated in its stance than it has been in the past as no other Eastern European countries are endorsing the letter.

However, the country retains some support among nations that are reliant on coal for the bulk of their energy and could seek to block Denmark’s efforts to finalise the agreement this year.