Resistance to taxonomic controversy
EU committees vote against “green” nuclear energy
06/14/2022 4:33 p.m
In July, the European Parliament will decide whether future investments in nuclear power and gas should be classified as sustainable. Two central committees are currently voting against the proposal. The vote is considered an important mood check for future plenary debates.
Leading environmental and economic committees in the European Parliament have spoken out against the EU Commission’s plans to classify nuclear power and gas as environmentally friendly forms of energy. As reported by the European Parliament, the joint decision was adopted by 76 votes to 62 with 4 abstentions. The Brussels authorities proposed to include two sources of energy in the so-called taxonomy – a kind of catalog for investors who help projects in the fight against the climate crisis. The classification as sustainable is intended to stimulate investment in certain sectors of the economy.
The next session of the entire parliament will now be decisive. If he also rejects the ordinance in July, it will not go into effect. The Commission will then have to withdraw or change its proposal. The vote by the environment and economy committees was seen as an important mood check for the plenary debate in parliament.
“This is the first blow against Commission President von der Leyen’s attempt to declare nuclear power and gas ‘green’ through the back door,” said Greens MEP Michael Bloss. Every euro is needed for solar and wind energy. The leader of Germany’s Green Party, Ricarda Lang, also welcomed the decision. Markus Ferber, economic policy spokesman for the EPP Christian Democratic Group, emphasized: “There is simply no appetite in the market for a taxonomy with nuclear power and gas.” SPD MEPs spokesman Joachim Schuster commented on the decisive vote at the plenary session on economic and financial policy: “The decision of the entire European Parliament will show how seriously MEPs really take the protection of the environment and climate in Europe.”
Environmentalists were also happy with the committee’s decision. “Yes, yes, yes,” Fridays for Future activist Louise Neubauer tweeted. Greenpeace financial expert Mauricio Vargas explained: “This is the first step in correcting the EU’s historic wrong decision. Anyone who wants to call gas and nuclear energy sustainable will also be selling French fries as a salad.” On the other hand, criticism came from the AfD. She fears that electricity and energy may become even more expensive in Germany.
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