Poland: the coal mine will remain open
Turow coal mine near Bogatynia in Poland, November 19, 2019. AP - Petr David Josek
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
The Polish Prime Minister said on Monday that Warsaw would "keep open" the Turów coal mine despite a European court ruling which ordered Friday to immediately cease exploitation of this mine.
The standoff continues between Brussels and Warsaw.
Publicity
Read more
Poland refuses to close the Turów mine because it could endanger the country's energy supply. 80% of its electricity depends on coal. This lignite mine - poor quality coal - provides about 7% of electricity in Poland. The Polish public energy group PGE which operates the mine wants to continue mining coal until 2044 and wants to further expand its operation.
However, the Czech Republic had seized the Court of Justice of the European Union to obtain urgently the stop of the exploitation of this open pit mine, located near the Czech and German borders.
The Turów mine is located in Polish Silesia but it is located in an enclave almost completely surrounded by the Czech Republic and Germany.
The mine also occupies a large part of this quasi-enclave, open pit and underground.
It is therefore the Czechs and Germans who suffer most of the nuisances of its exploitation.
Border populations complain about noise, dust emissions and water supply problems.
Gradual closure of mines by 2049
However, the
Court of Justice of the EU ruled on Friday
that the continuation of extraction activities was "
likely to have negative effects on the level of groundwater in Czech territory
": groundwater is contaminated.
Moreover, according to European judges, it has not been proven that the Turów mine is essential for Polish electricity production.
Warsaw plans to
phase out its mines to close by 2049
.
A decision by the Polish government taken under pressure from the European Union, following the carbon neutrality deadline set at 2050, without the support of Warsaw, however.
But regarding the Turów mine, the Polish government wants to continue to dialogue with the Czech Republic and provide new arguments to the EU Court of Justice.
►
To listen: Getting out of the coal, a challenge prepared in various ways
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Poland
Energies
Environment
European Union
On the same subject
International report
Poland must close its last coal mines before 2049
European justice orders closure of Polish coal mine
Poland: historic agreement on the closure of coal mines