[앵커]
The word that became a hot topic in the presidential debate on the 3rd is ‘Green Taxonomy’, a classification system for green industries.
As the European Union and the EU included nuclear power generation in the ‘green taxonomy’, Korea has also taken an emergency response.
Reporter Choi Myung-shin reports.
[기자]
Green Taxonomy is an international standard that can determine whether a particular technology or industrial activity is eco-friendly or not.
In the EU, countries have been debating whether to include energy sources, especially nuclear and natural gas power generation.
In the end, the EU has finalized and proposed a regulation that classifies the two energy sources as a green taxonomy that can contribute to carbon neutrality.
[매이리드 맥기네스/ EU 금융서비스 담당 집행위원 : (택소노미에) 가스와 원자력을 포함하는 이유는 이것들이 전환기에 필요한 에너지원이라고 굳게 믿기 때문입니다.]
However, in order for a new nuclear power plant to be classified as green, a building permit must be obtained before 2045, and it must be located in a country where radioactive waste can be safely disposed of by 2050.
The proposed EU regulation is likely to come into effect in January next year after discussions among EU member states for the next four months.
The EU’s decision is expected to have considerable repercussions in Korea as well.
Previously, the Ministry of Environment announced the K-Taxonomy in December last year, including liquefied natural gas and LNG, but not nuclear power.
The Ministry of Environment is in the position to decide whether or not to include nuclear power plants by collecting social opinions.
[조현수 / 환경부 녹색전환정책과장(지난해 12월) : 구체적인 시기와 방법 같은 경우는 현 단계에서 말씀드리기는 어렵고 사회적 합의가 필요함으로 단기간에 결정할 사안은 아닌 것 같습니다.]
Confusion is expected to be inevitable for a while, as the business community criticizes only Korea that it is going backwards from the global trend and urges the hasty recognition of nuclear power as a green energy.
This is YTN Choi Myung-shin.
YTN Choi Myung-shin (mschoe@ytn.co.kr)
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