Nuclear power: The EU Commission wants to classify the energy source as sustainable. Germany can no longer prevent that.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin A group of environmental and climate organizations is calling on the German government to resolutely oppose the EU Commission’s planned classification of nuclear power and natural gas as sustainable technologies.
“Dear Federal Chancellor, we are counting on you”, it says in an open letter from 13 organizations to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), which is available to the Handelsblatt. “Stop the greenwashing of dirty and dangerous technologies that are a thing of the past and pave the way for climate neutrality – at European and national level.”
The organizations, including the Deutsche Naturschutzring (DNR), Germanwatch and WWF, are calling on the German government to vote against the use of nuclear power and gas in the European Council and to join the lawsuit planned by Austria and Luxembourg before the European Court of Justice. “Advocate an extension of the lawsuit against the inclusion of natural gas.”
The EU countries have until January 21st to react to the draft of the EU Commission. The period has been extended – originally, January 12th was the deadline.
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The taxonomy is a classification system for sustainable financial products – a kind of list of all ecologically sustainable economic activities compiled in Brussels. So far, however, it has remained open whether investments in nuclear power and gas are considered sustainable. The subject has been debated for years. On New Year’s Eve 2021, the EU Commission then sent out the notification that nuclear power and natural gas should be classified as green investments.
Stringent criteria for the construction of natural gas power plants
A mistake, say the environmental groups. In order for Germany and Europe to be able to achieve the climate targets, the use of fossil fuels must end as quickly as possible instead of being expanded, according to the letter sent by the 13 organizations on Tuesday. Even if natural gas will be part of the energy mix for a limited transition period, it would be wrong to classify the energy source as sustainable.
In the letter addressed to Scholz and five federal ministers, the associations call on the federal government to develop stringent criteria for the expansion of natural gas power plants announced in the coalition agreement at national level.
The classification of nuclear power and natural gas as sustainable can hardly be prevented. For this to happen, at least 20 EU countries would have to join forces, representing at least 65 percent of the total population in the EU. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) has announced a statement from the Federal Government. However, this will not be legally binding.
Lemke believes that the fact that investments in nuclear and gas-fired power plants are made easier with the eco-seal are wrong. The federal government had stated in the coalition agreement that natural gas was needed as a bridging technology, she told the Berlin “Tagesspiegel”. To do this, there must also be investments in appropriate power plants. However, these should “work with climate-friendly energy sources made from hydrogen from the outset. There was definitely no need for the taxonomy label for that ”.
More: How sensible are the EU plans to classify investments in nuclear power and natural gas as sustainable?