Babiš signals change in position on carbon neutrality

The Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, has signalled a change of attitude toward a European Union plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Mr. Babiš said that bringing about carbon neutrality in the Czech Republic would require billions of crowns in investment. He said his government had ideas about how to acquire supplementary funds to achieve the EU target.

At an EU summit last month the Czech leader described carbon neutrality as nonsense and asked why a decision should be made 31 years in advance on what would happen in 2050.

On Monday Mr. Babiš said the Czech Republic needed the freedom to base its energy production mix on nuclear power. He said he wanted to start a broader debate so that China, India, Russia and the US respected the Paris Agreement.

Author: Ian Willoughby