A green problem

Greenpeace activists have been protesting in Poland at the backdrop of the UN climate conference in Poznań to bring attention to Poland's dependency on coal. On Tuesday, Greenpeace activists from Poland, Britain, Germany, Sweden and Canada scaled a 150 metre-high smokestack at a power plant in Konin, with a banner "Quit coal, save the climate," to urge the Polish government to agree to European environment reforms.

The activists "occupied" the chimney for 52 hours, as they had declared that they would stay there "until Poland's prime minister promises Poland will not block the EU's climate package," Greenpeace spokesman Jacek Winiarski told AFP.

However, the Konin power plant authorities have announced that they are going to demand compensation from the ecologists for illegal intrusion to the plant's grounds. The company wants to bill them for the cost of checking installations on the smokestack, an ambulance that was on duty for 52 hours and additional supervision of technical services.

The protest came a day after high-profile UN Climate Negotiations opened in Poznań.

Poland, which depends on coal for 94 percent of its energy source, supports the objectives of the EU's planned climate package, but argues that the rules would result in skyrocketing energy prices.

The EU member states have agreed to cut greenhouse gases by 20 percent by 2020. (ZN)