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Do nuclear power plants produce “sustainable” energy? There is a threat of a dispute between the federal government and EU partners

2021-12-26T14:44:24.646Z


Do nuclear power plants produce “sustainable” energy? There is a threat of a dispute between the federal government and EU partners Created: 12/26/2021, 3:32 PM From: Josef Forster Are in disagreement on the subject of nuclear energy: Chancellor Scholz and French President Macron © Thibault Camus / dpa The federal government under Angela Merkel decided to phase out nuclear power. Her successor


Do nuclear power plants produce “sustainable” energy?

There is a threat of a dispute between the federal government and EU partners

Created: 12/26/2021, 3:32 PM

From: Josef Forster

Are in disagreement on the subject of nuclear energy: Chancellor Scholz and French President Macron © Thibault Camus / dpa

The federal government under Angela Merkel decided to phase out nuclear power.

Her successor Olaf Scholz follows this decision, but a decision by the EU could have far-reaching consequences.

Berlin / Munich - Not only does the new year begin on the night of December 31, the energy supply within the EU could also be facing a turning point. January 1, 2022 marks the day on which France will take over the presidency of the EU Council. Traditionally, the countries use the time they hold the presidency for six months to set their own accents on the European stage. The cycle coincides with the decision of the EU Commission, which postponed a far-reaching decision on atomic energy to the year 2022: Does atomic energy deserve the “sustainable” seal?

A legal text by the EU Commission that has not yet been published is up for discussion and investors around the world are eagerly awaiting it.

The Brussels Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen is considering adding atomic energy to a list of "sustainable" forms of energy.

The so-called taxonomy proposal would amount to a recommendation to the financial markets to invest in nuclear facilities.

Atomic energy: Germany decided to phase out, neighboring countries are focusing on expansion

A good ten years after the reactor disaster in Fukushima, the EU could make nuclear energy socially acceptable as a “green” alternative to coal and gas.

While the Federal Republic of Germany decided in 2011 to take all reactors off the grid, some European partners are relying on the expansion of nuclear energy.

Above all France.

President Emmanuel Macron believes nuclear energy is essential for France and the EU to become climate neutral by 2050, as planned.

“Nuclear energy cannot be regarded as equivalent to renewables,” Macron admitted at the EU summit in mid-December.

But they emit very little carbon dioxide (CO₂).

The Netherlands and Poland also rely on nuclear energy - and thus form the counterpoint to the traffic light government.

Nuclear phase-out: Traffic light is sticking to plans to shut down the power plants

Above all, the Greens in the Ampel coalition are resisting: “I don't think nuclear power is the right technology,” said Economics and Climate Minister Robert Habeck recently on

Deutschlandfunk

. Environment Minister Steffi Lemke told the broadcasters

RTL

and

ntv

that nuclear power was the "wrong way" because of the long-term radiant garbage.

What does Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) think?

In a joint appearance with Macron at the last EU summit, Scholz downplayed the topic: He said the Commission proposal should “not be overestimated” and he called the taxonomy “a small topic in a very big question”.

He pointed out that the member states could also in future decide on their own path to an emission-free future.

The fact remains that the last nuclear power plant in Germany will be shut down in 2022.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-12-26

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