Commission wants more carbon cuts

Poland and the Czech Republic will be asked on Friday (23 March) to cut back significantly their carbon dioxide (CO2) emission permits for the second round of an environmental trading scheme.

The European emissions trading scheme (ETS) aims to cut EU pollution by imposing a cap on CO2 emissions from heavy indu-stry and obliging companies to buy and sell emissions permits from each other.

Poland and the Czech Republic have both proposed increasing the number of industrial CO2 emissions permits from first round levels in their 2008-12 national allocation plans (NAPs).

An environment department official refused to say exactly what cuts the Commission would request ahead of Friday’s announcement but said they would be substantial. "We’re as angry as we can be about this," he added.

The eastern European countries are unlikely to accept the Commission’s decision. Total emissions from Poland and the Czech Republic are already well below their targets under the Kyoto Protocol for climate change, thanks to the closure of polluting Soviet-era factories and power plants.

Slovakia last month launched legal action against the Commission after being asked for a 25% cut in CO2 permits.

Poland and the Czech Republic will be asked on Friday (23 March) to cut back significantly their carbon dioxide (CO2) emission permits for the second round of an environmental trading scheme.