EU Commission classifies nuclear power and gas as sustainable - Greens react angrily and threaten to sue

Created: 02/02/2022 15:06

European Union flags wave in the wind in front of the Berlaymont building, home of the European Commission.

© Arne Immanuel Bänsch/dpa

Despite massive criticism, the EU Commission classifies investments in new gas and nuclear power plants as climate-friendly under certain conditions.

Update from February 2, 3 p.m.:

The Greens responded to the EU Commission’s decision on the so-called taxonomy with massive criticism.

The decision to classify nuclear power and natural gas as sustainable and thus eligible for funding has devalued the taxonomy as the EU eco-label for sustainable investments, said party leader Ricarda Lang on Wednesday.

"Instead of preventing greenwashing, the EU Commission is making the taxonomy itself a greenwashing instrument".

The Greens want to work to ensure that the federal government votes "No", said Lang, who was elected the new co-chair last weekend.

In addition, it is important to examine the chances of success for a lawsuit against the legal act.

"In that case, it would make sense for Germany to join the intended lawsuits of many EU member states."

The federal spokesman for the Green Youth, Timon Dzienus, said: "We expect that all levers will be set in motion to stop this dirty sham." The federal government must vote against the plans of the EU Commission and continue to try to get one in the Council organize majority.

The Green Youth also called on MEPs to block the proposal in Parliament.

"If the insane green label for nuclear and gas power is not stopped politically, we expect the federal government to take legal action against the Commission's plans," he added.

The green label for gas and nuclear power is possibly illegal, both in view of a possible excess of competence on the part of the EU Commission and in view of existing climate targets.

First report from February 2, 1 p.m.:

Brussels – Investments in new gas and nuclear power plants should be considered climate-friendly in the European Union* under certain conditions.

Despite massive criticism, the European Commission adopted a corresponding legal act on Wednesday.

It even falls short of an original draft and relaxes the requirements for gas-fired power plants.

Germany in particular had insisted on making the criteria for gas more flexible. The background to the classification of certain gas and nuclear projects as sustainable is the so-called EU taxonomy.

It aims to encourage citizens and investors to invest in climate-friendly technologies in order to achieve the EU's climate targets.

The now adopted legal act stipulates that investments in new gas-fired power plants will be considered sustainable until 2030 if, among other things, they replace dirtier power plants and are completely operated with more climate-friendly gases such as hydrogen by 2035.

In the original draft, the admixture of climate-friendly gases was already prescribed from 2026.

This means that gas-fired power plants may now be able to use higher levels of polluting natural gas for longer.

New nuclear power plants are to be classified as sustainable by 2045 if there is a concrete plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from 2050 at the latest.

Despite massive criticism: the EU Commission classifies nuclear power and gas as sustainable

The Commission's plans were heavily criticized in advance.

Austria and Luxembourg have announced that they will take legal action.

Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden also reject a sustainable classification of gas, it said in a letter to the Commission earlier this week.

MEPs, environmentalists and scientists have repeatedly pointed out the climate-damaging CO2 emissions from gas and the unresolved issue of radioactive waste from nuclear power.

Large investors such as the European Investment Bank and the IIGCC investor group were also critical.

After the Commission has officially accepted the proposal, it can only be rejected by a majority in the EU Parliament or at least 20 EU countries, otherwise it will automatically come into force.

A refusal has so far been considered unlikely.