Hennig-Kloska: Ideally, ETS2 will be a voluntary system by 2030.

Poland is still fighting for a further delay in the EU ETS2 system, ideally making this system voluntary by 2030, said Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment, at the conference. She recalled that for now there is a bloc of support for delaying ETS2 until 2028. Moreover, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage wants, among other things, continuation and increase of the pool of the Modernization Fund.

“Today we decided to show what Poland is really at stake in the process of revising the ETS emissions trading system, which is being prepared at the EU level. Later this year, the EC is to present a proposal for reform in the area of ​​ETS certificates,” said Hennig-Kloska.

The EU summit is taking place on Thursday in Brussels, during which the leaders of EU states and governments are to discuss, among others: topic of the ECJ reform, in which Prime Minister Donald Tusk also takes part.

The head of the Ministry of Environment and Environment announced that her ministry, as part of the EU Environment Council, is fighting for a “six-pack of elements”, noting that a unilateral exit from the ECJ is “practically impossible”.

Firstly, thanks to building a block of support, we managed to postpone the entry into force of ETS2 to 2028 from 2027, and it was already known that this was a good, but insufficient direction (…). We are still fighting to further postpone the entry into force of ETS2, and the best option – since countries do not agree on the willingness to use this solution – is to make it a voluntary system by 2030, i.e. if a member state wants to operate in this system, it enters it (before 2030 – PAP), if not, then not – said Hennig-Kloska.

She recalled that under ETS2, CO2 emission certificates are to cover the combustion of fossil fuels by households in homes and in transport.

She added that the second element of Polish demands is to maintain free ETS certificates for the industry in the coming years “on the existing principles or in larger quantities”.

“The next point is entitlements for sectors covered by the so-called border fee (CBAM). These are entitlements that have been indicated as those that have an increasing problem in competing with incoming cheap imports that do not meet the norms and standards imposed on the European industry. We do not know today how effective CBAM will be, which is why we want these sectors to also be covered by free certificates,” explained the minister.

Further demands include special treatment of the heating sector, real protection against speculation on the ETS market and the continuation of the Modernization Fund, through which Poland can access part of the revenues from the ETS market intended for our region. Poland has the largest share in it.

We believe that this fund works effectively and actually contributes to the implementation of good investment projects to improve energy efficiency and decarbonize the system. The continuation and increase of the pool of funds from the sale of certificates under FM is also an element that we are seeking, emphasized Hennig-Kloska.

At the same time, the Ministry of Environment and Environment announced that on March 12, the EIB approved another five programs submitted by Poland with a total value of PLN 5.5 billion under the Modernization Fund.

“These funds will be allocated to the modernization of educational institutions and hospitals, support for multi-family buildings in rural areas, development of home energy storage facilities and construction of heat storage facilities in heating systems,” the ministry said in a statement.

He added that So far, 32 programs with a total budget of PLN 53.5 billion have been approved under the Modernization Fund.

“PLN 18.7 billion has already been paid, and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management has signed over 70,000 contracts, transferring over PLN 2 billion to the beneficiaries for the modernization of the Polish energy sector,” wrote the ministry.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced in Gdańsk that Poland, together with a group of EU countries, had sent a letter to the European Commission to continue free emission allowances for industry. He added that he would also convince European partners that each Member State could count on a specific approach in the ECJ to take into account its characteristics. (PAP Business)

jz/ gor/