The EU Parliament has not objected to the classification of gas and nuclear power as climate-friendly investments under certain conditions. Of the MEPs present in Strasbourg on Wednesday, 328 voted once morest the plan to block the so-called taxonomy. 278 voted in favor and 33 abstained. The regulation should therefore come into force at the beginning of 2023. In this case, Austria had announced an action before the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
The result of the vote in the EU Parliament was considered open. The majority of the Greens, the Social Democrats and the left faction, as well as all Austrian MEPs, said they wanted to raise an objection. The conservative EPP was divided.
With the taxonomy, the EU Commission wants to determine which financial investments will be considered climate-friendly in the future. This should help mobilize the billions needed for climate change and pave the way for the EU to become climate neutral by 2050.
Emissions of greenhouse gases relevant
The taxonomy primarily addresses the financial sector. A distinction is made between directly green projects such as solar systems, indirect green projects such as storage for renewable energies, and so-called bridging technologies.
These bridging technologies will now include gas and nuclear power. The two forms of energy are declared as sustainable in the ecological sense under certain conditions: nuclear power plants must meet the latest technology standards and a concrete plan for a disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste must be available by 2050 at the latest. In the case of gas-fired power plants, the emission of greenhouse gases is relevant.
The fact that gas and nuclear power are now supposed to be “green” investments caused sharp criticism from environmental organizations and Austria as well as a few other EU countries. According to some experts, nuclear energy is simply too expensive, too uneconomical and too dangerous. Proponents argue, among other things, that especially once morest the background of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, their own nuclear power plants and gas-fired power plants will still be needed for a transitional period.
Proposal may be blocked until July 11th
The EU states might still block the EU Commission’s proposal until July 11th. For this, at least 20 EU countries would have to come together, representing at least 65 percent of the total population of the EU. However, this is considered unlikely due to the interest of many countries in the use of nuclear power.
France in particular was seen as the driving force behind “green” nuclear power. Around 70 percent of electricity in France comes from nuclear energy. Gas is also viewed by some EU countries such as Poland as the lesser evil compared to coal, which is even more harmful to the climate.
Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) once more threatened legal action on Wednesday following the Council of Ministers. If the vote supports the Commission’s proposal, “then we will of course sue,” she said. (apa)
