Nuclear power and gas sustainable
Environmental groups are suing the EU eco seal
4/18/2023 2:04 am
Investments in gas and nuclear power have been classified as climate-friendly by the EU since the beginning of the year. This is controversial, because the burning of gas produces CO2, while the generation of nuclear energy leaves radioactive waste. Greenpeace and other environmental organizations want to overturn the new rule.
Several environmental organizations are taking the Europe-wide classification of natural gas and nuclear energy as “sustainable” to court. Greenpeace, BUND, WWF and others have filed lawsuits against the EU Commission in the European Union Court in Luxembourg, the environmentalists said. They accuse the authority of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of “greenwashing”.
Nuclear energy and gas have had a kind of eco-seal in the European Union since the beginning of 2022. The basis is the so-called taxonomy regulation for the classification of sustainable energy sources from 2020, which the Commission expanded to include these two energy sources. In concrete terms, financial products such as funds can be advertised as “sustainable”, even if they envisage investments in gas or nuclear power plants.
“The EU Commission must not disguise the problem as a solution,” said Nina Treu, Managing Director of Greenpeace Germany. “Green money must not be misused for industries that led us to the natural and climate crisis. It must flow into renewable energies and the sustainable conversion to a social-ecological economy.” According to Greenpeace, the French nuclear park operator Electricité de France (EDF) wants to issue “green bonds” to investors.
BUND complains about “false labeling” for gas
The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), together with the European office of WWF and other organizations, filed a separate lawsuit against the eco-label for natural gas in the EU court. “Supposed climate protection through fraudulent labeling is unacceptable,” said BUND chairman Olaf Bandt.
The Austrian government had previously sued against the sustainability seal for nuclear and gas. The Brussels classification is considered a typical compromise between German and French interests: France in particular is campaigning for nuclear energy at EU level; On the other hand, the federal government can live with the classification of natural gas because of its importance for German industry.