EU wants to allow natural gas, nuclear in green investment
ABC News
The European Commission wants to include nuclear energy and natural gas in its plans for building a climate-friendly future
BRUSSELS -- 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, would define 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 will please the EU’s two most powerful nations: France is reliant on nuclear power, which raises concerns about its long-term impact on the environment, and Germany depends on gas, a a fossil fuel many consider a bridge to renewables. EU members like Austria and Luxembourg already have raised the possibility of legal disputes as they challenge the green notion of nuclear.
The commission says including nuclear and gas as transitional energy sources does not amount to a free pass and aims to accelerate efforts to reduce carbon emissions.