The EU Commission wants to classify gas and nuclear energy as climate-friendly under certain conditions. Austria’s environment minister announces that she will “take legal action”.
For Climate Protection Minister Eleonore Gewessler (Greens), the EU Commission’s draft on the disputed classification of gas and nuclear energy as climate-friendly under certain conditions is “unacceptable” among the member states. She confirmed this on Monday in the “Morgenjournal” of ORF radio Ö1. In the event that the commission actually implements the plans, the minister once again announced that she would “take legal action” on the basis of a legal opinion.
Gewessler emphasized that the classification scheme (taxonomy) of forms of energy by Brussels serves as a label for financial products such as investment funds. The financial market plays a major role in redirecting cash flows towards technologies that are sure to protect the environment and the climate. Therefore, a credible label is needed that investors can rely on: “Green” should only appear on financial products that are also green.
>>> How Brussels’s nuclear power project is dividing the continent
At the same time, the labeling of financial products has nothing to do with the national energy policy of EU member states. Every country can and must decide its future energy policy for itself.
Draft one hour before midnight
Gewessler once again criticized the EU Commission’s approach of sending the proposal to the member states on New Year’s Eve one hour before midnight. The member states now only had twelve days to comment on the plans – and “to the exclusion of public participation and consultation”. The minister sees partners in her line in Germany and Spain. She wants to form further alliances against the plans. There remained an increased quorum among the member states, a simple majority in the EU Parliament or the proposed lawsuit to bring the plans down.
Specifically, the draft of the EU Commission provides that planned investments in new nuclear power plants, especially in France, can be classified as green if the plants meet the latest technical standards and if there is a specific plan for the operation of a disposal plant for high-level radioactive waste by 2050 at the latest is presented. Another condition is that the new nuclear facilities receive a building permit by 2045. Investments in new gas-fired power plants should also be able to be classified as green temporarily, especially at Germany’s request. For example, it should be relevant how many greenhouse gases are emitted.
For plants that are approved after December 31, 2030, according to the proposal, only up to 100 grams of so-called CO2 equivalents per kilowatt hour of energy would be allowed – calculated over the life cycle.
>>> Report in the Ö1 “Morning Journal”
(WHAT)