https://www.miningweekly.com
Coal|Energy|Mining|Water
Coal|Energy|Mining|Water
coal|energy|mining|water

Greta Thunberg’s endorsement lands Polish coal miner in hot water

Climate activist Greta Thunberg at the WEF in Davos this week.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg at the WEF in Davos this week.

23rd January 2020

By: Bloomberg

  

Font size: - +

A Polish coal mining union chided one of its leaders for meeting climate activist Greta Thunberg as a misstep that undermines their efforts to keep coal as the country’s key source of energy.

The meeting -- held in coal-dependent Poland earlier this month -- made it to the speech that Thunberg, 17, gave at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. She accused the global leaders of giving up on the climate change fight.

“Last week I met with Polish miners who lost their jobs because their mine was closed and even they have not given up,” she said. “On the contrary, they seem to understand the fact that they need to change more than you do.”

With the European Union’s plan to switch to a zero-emission economy in 2050, Polish miners in the Silesia region could be among those who are most affected. The government is negotiating the level of aid from the Just Transition Fund, designed by the bloc to ease the pain of ditching the dirty fuel.

‘MEGALOMANIA’

Thunberg’s view on the climate-awareness of Polish miners was quickly met by a reality check after the ZZG union published a website statement on her meeting with Jerzy Hubka, a union leader from a closed Makoszowy mine, during the shoot of a British Broadcasting Corp. documentary.

“Jerzy Hubka has no right to speak on behalf” of the union, according to the statement. “We see contacts with Greta Thunberg in front of BBC cameras as a manifestation of megalomania and stupidity, and actions of the union from Makoszowy as harmful for Poland.”

Earlier, Hubka posted his pictures with the Swedish activist on his Facebook account, saying that miners aren’t afraid of changes, but they expect honesty about the incoming shift from decision makers.

Edited by Bloomberg

Comments

Showroom

Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Yale Lifting Solutions
Yale Lifting Solutions

Yale Lifting Solutions is a leading supplier of lifting and material handling equipment in Southern Africa. Yale offers a wide range of quality...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.201 0.236s - 89pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now