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Austria's climate protection minister Leonore Gewessler
Photo: Martin Juen / imago images / SEPA.Media
In Austria, the EU Commission's plans to classify nuclear power and natural gas as green energy sources are met with strong opposition. “The EU Commission took a step towards greenwashing nuclear power and fossil gas yesterday in a night and fog campaign,” criticized the Austrian climate protection minister Leonore Gewessler on Saturday in Vienna. The Green politician threatened to file a lawsuit if the two energy sources were to be included in the so-called taxonomy of the EU.
"The time of publication alone shows that the EU Commission itself is obviously not convinced of its decision," explained Gewessler.
"For Austria, however, it is very clear: Neither nuclear power nor the burning of fossil natural gas have lost anything in the taxonomy." After all, these energy sources are "harmful to the climate and the environment and destroy the future of our children."
"Technology of the past"
The Brussels authority had sent its draft regulation on the so-called taxonomy to the governments of the 27 EU member states on New Year's Eve. Gewessler announced that the government in Vienna would "examine the text carefully in the coming days." Accordingly, she has already commissioned a comprehensive legal opinion from the renowned law firm Redeker Sellner Dahs on nuclear power in taxonomy.
"With that in our luggage, we will not shy away from taking legal action against the planned taxonomy ordinance," assured Gewessler.
If the Commission actually implements these plans, Austria will sue.
"Because nuclear power is a technology of the past whose dangers for humans and the environment have been clearly documented," argued the minister.
“It's too expensive and too slow to help us fight the climate crisis.
She has no future. "
Austria also wants to be climate neutral by 2040
The Federal Government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had previously rejected the EU's initiative.
The Green Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke called the EU Commission's plans "absolutely wrong".
"We do not see any approval of the new proposals of the EU Commission," said Federal Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens).
Like Germany, Austria wants to be climate neutral by 2040; the EU has set this target for 2050.
"We cannot afford to call fossil natural gas a 'green investment'," warned Gewessler.
After all, “huge amounts of CO₂” would be released when using natural gas.
Austria will therefore »continue to look for allies at EU level to take action against it«.
Bad chances for Austria and Germany
The taxonomy is a kind of classification of sustainable economic activities and is equivalent to a classification as worthy of funding and a recommendation to investors.
With its draft, the Commission launched a consultation process with the Member States that is expected to last around two weeks.
The commission plans to present the final proposal in mid-January.
Subsequently, the Council of Member States and the EU Parliament each have a right of veto.
The chances of Germany and Austria are bad here: In order to hold up the Commission's plans, it would need a qualified majority of 20 of the 27 member states, which also represent 65 percent of the EU population.
Even in the EU Parliament, where a simple majority would be enough for a veto, this has not yet emerged.
col / AFP