Greenpeace takes legal action over EU’s ‘green’ tag for gas, nuclear energy
Environmentalists argue European Union violated its own climate laws by including natural gas and nuclear energy in its list of “green” investments.
(AA Archive)
Greenpeace and other
environmental campaigners have launched legal challenges against
the European Commission over its decision to include natural gas
and nuclear energy in the EU’s list of “green” investments.
They argue the European Union violated its own climate laws
by doing this, citing the greenhouse gas emissions produced by
gas power plants, and say the move risks diverting investments
into fossil fuels instead of renewable energy.
Greenpeace said it had requested an internal review of the
Commission’s decision to label gas and nuclear energy as green.
Four other environmental groups — WWF, Friends of the Earth
Germany, Transport & Environment and ClientEarth — focused on
gas.
The Commission said it would reply to the requests in due
course.
READ MORE: EU ‘greenwashes’ gas and nuclear: what does it mean for climate goals?
Bone of contention
In focus is the European Union’s ‘taxonomy’, a rulebook
defining which investments can be labelled climate friendly and
designed to guide investors towards green projects that will
help deliver the bloc’s emissions-cutting targets.
The Commission has until February to respond. If the
Commission does not withdraw the rules, the groups said they
would take their challenges to the European Court of Justice.
“Gas is a leading cause of climate and economic chaos, while
there is still no solution to the problem of nuclear radioactive
waste and the risk of nuclear accidents is far too significant
to ignore,” Greenpeace campaigner Ariadna Rodrigo said.
The Commission had excluded gas power plants from its
original taxonomy proposal, but added them later, amid a fierce
political debate among EU countries — who disagree on whether
the fuel deserves a ‘green’ label.
Brussels said it had added “strict conditions” to the final
rules for gas plants, including an emissions limit and a
requirement to switch to low-carbon gases by 2035.
Representatives from five non-profit groups quit their roles
advising the Commission on the taxonomy last week, citing the
EU’s handling of the gas and nuclear rules.
Separately, Luxembourg and Austria, which both oppose
nuclear power and have warned against labelling gas as green,
are preparing a legal challenge to the EU rules.
READ MORE: EU draft plan on green label for nuclear energy faces Germany’s objection
Source: Reuters
Environmentalists argue European Union violated its own climate laws by including natural gas and nuclear energy in its list of “green” investments.
(AA Archive)
Greenpeace and other
environmental campaigners have launched legal challenges against
the European Commission over its decision to include natural gas
and nuclear energy in the EU’s list of “green” investments.
They argue the European Union violated its own climate laws
by doing this, citing the greenhouse gas emissions produced by
gas power plants, and say the move risks diverting investments
into fossil fuels instead of renewable energy.
Greenpeace said it had requested an internal review of the
Commission’s decision to label gas and nuclear energy as green.
Four other environmental groups — WWF, Friends of the Earth
Germany, Transport & Environment and ClientEarth — focused on
gas.
The Commission said it would reply to the requests in due
course.
READ MORE: EU ‘greenwashes’ gas and nuclear: what does it mean for climate goals?
Bone of contention
In focus is the European Union’s ‘taxonomy’, a rulebook
defining which investments can be labelled climate friendly and
designed to guide investors towards green projects that will
help deliver the bloc’s emissions-cutting targets.
The Commission has until February to respond. If the
Commission does not withdraw the rules, the groups said they
would take their challenges to the European Court of Justice.
“Gas is a leading cause of climate and economic chaos, while
there is still no solution to the problem of nuclear radioactive
waste and the risk of nuclear accidents is far too significant
to ignore,” Greenpeace campaigner Ariadna Rodrigo said.
The Commission had excluded gas power plants from its
original taxonomy proposal, but added them later, amid a fierce
political debate among EU countries — who disagree on whether
the fuel deserves a ‘green’ label.
Brussels said it had added “strict conditions” to the final
rules for gas plants, including an emissions limit and a
requirement to switch to low-carbon gases by 2035.
Representatives from five non-profit groups quit their roles
advising the Commission on the taxonomy last week, citing the
EU’s handling of the gas and nuclear rules.
Separately, Luxembourg and Austria, which both oppose
nuclear power and have warned against labelling gas as green,
are preparing a legal challenge to the EU rules.
READ MORE: EU draft plan on green label for nuclear energy faces Germany’s objection
Source: Reuters
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