The European Union will not scale back its efforts to combat climate change but must communicate better with industries concerned about the costs of carbon-cutting policies, the European Commission's new green policy chief said on Tuesday. The EU has faced growing opposition to environmental policies from some member states and EU lawmakers this year. Poland sues Brussels over climate policy Warsaw says it would worsen social inequality, while centre-right EU lawmakers campaigned to repeal the EU's nature protection law. "We will not lower our ambitions," said European Commission Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič in a joint media interview on Tuesday in Brussels. "I believe we need to improve our communication and be able to come in faster, earlier and more accurately respond to some of the natural concerns that exist in some sectors." Šefčovič suggested that the EU organize talks between energy-intensive industries and clean energy companies. A similar effort could bring together steel and cement producers with companies planning to produce low-carbon hydrogen, a fuel-heavy industry that is betting on CO2 reductions. (Kate Abnett)