BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union on Wednesday proposed including nuclear energy and natural gas in its plans for building a climate-friendly future, dividing member countries and drawing outcry from environmentalists as “greenwashing.”
The green labeling system from the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, defines what qualifies as an investment in sustainable energy in the 27-nation bloc. Under certain conditions, gas and nuclear energy could be part of the mix, making it easier for private investors to inject money into both.
The plan seemed designed to please the EU’s two most powerful nations: France is reliant on nuclear power, which raises concerns about long-term impact on the environment, and Germany depends on gas, a fossil fuel many consider a bridge to renewables.
But Steffi Lemke, the German environment minister, lambasted the plan over its nuclear power provision.
“Today’s decision by the European Commission is unacceptable. Like many other EU member states, Germany is clearly and unequivocally against the inclusion of nuclear power in the taxonomy,” she said. “Nuclear power is anything but sustainable, it is risky, too expensive, and the construction and planning processes are too lengthy to contribute to climate neutrality by 2050.”