WARSAW, Poland (AP) — An environmental group is suing the operator of Poland's giant Belchatow power plant to court, seeking to make Europe's single biggest carbon dioxide emitter end its use of coal by 2035.
The ClientEarth Foundation said Thursday its "unprecedented" lawsuit has been filed with the provincial court in the central city of Lodz. It calls on the power plant to "discontinue activity that threatens the environment" and stop using coal or install carbon gas filters by 2035.
Belchatow is Europe's largest coal-powered energy plant, and Poland's largest energy supplier.
Poland relies on coal for 80% of its energy, while coal mining is one of the biggest employers, facts that prevent a quick withdrawal from coal. Government plans say coal could be phased out sometime after 2040.
