Climate policy a threat to workers

As much as 250 thousand jobs may be lost in Poland in case of adoption of the new principles of distribution of free CO2 emissions prepared by the European Commission, says NSZZ “Solidarnosc”. The threat refers mainly to workers employed in steel works, chemical sector, cement and paper production. However, according to the results of the Cancun Climate Conference, it seems that the EU has imposed on itself the harshest standards and remains alone in the endeavour, which may have serious negative consequences for competitiveness of the EU economy on the global scale.

In a statement adopted in the beginning of December, the Union issued an appeal to the Prime Minister Donald Tusk to undertake any measures possible in order to block the solutions proposed by the EC pointing at the fact, that such principles would not only affect employment in many sectors, but also would increase prices of energy and heating for everyone.

The union is concerned about the lack of action from the part of Polish government. Except for the EU, no other great economy of the world, like the USA, China or India, adopt so abrupt and costly cuts of emissions, and there are no plans for such steps in the near future.