The European Green Party could take the European Commission (EC) to court over the EC’s new plans to classify energy investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The EC’s proposal to classify some forms of nuclear and gas production as climate-friendly in terms of investment has been long awaited and has received controversial assessments. The proposal has already provoked the threat of litigation by the Austrian government and provoked heated debate in Germany.
“As European Greens, we are considering taking to the European Court of Justice against the EC’s plans to classify investments in gas and nuclear power plants as sustainable and climate-friendly,” Thomas Witz, co-chair of the party, told Die Welt.
“The EC is aware that its proposal can be legally challenged,” he added.
“Now we also plan to mobilize a majority in the European Parliament against the plans,” Wick said.
According to the proposal, investments in nuclear power plants would be considered green if they meet the latest technological standards and have a specific plan for nuclear waste management.
Proponents of the proposal explain that gas-fired power plants, which are cleaner than coal-fired power plants and other alternatives, are supporting economies towards a more environmentally sustainable future. Nuclear energy can be classified as green because it does not emit greenhouse gases.
However, opponents insist that “cleaner” does not mean clean gas and emphasizes that the long-term risk of radioactive waste is more important than the lack of carbon dioxide emissions in the short term.
Germany’s last nuclear power plant is scheduled to shut down by the end of 2022. Meanwhile, other European economies, especially France, are still heavily dependent on nuclear energy.
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