Nuclear energy is awarded the Green Label if the plant meets all kinds of technical requirements and has a reliable plan to treat its nuclear waste. Gas powered power plants are recognized as green only if they are below the CO2 limit2emissions remain.
In doing so, the commission recognizes nuclear and gas as temporary “transitional” forms of green energy, on the way to a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. The green label will expire in 2045 for new nuclear power plants, and in 2030 for new gas-fired power plants.
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The proposal, which is likely to be formally presented within this month, is part of the so-called classification that the European Union wants to present. In this classification, all forms of power generation are categorized as sustainable or less sustainable.
The European Union hopes that this will meet the needs of investors, such as pension funds, who are often looking for sustainable investments. The designation should put an end to “greenwashing,” investing in green-labeled projects that do not actually meet environmental requirements. The classification could help attract capital for investments in renewable energy, which is important for the EU to be climate neutral by 2050.
conflict
In recent months, a fierce political battle over nuclear power and gas has erupted within the European Union over the past month. A group of countries led by France wanted nuclear energy to be classified as green, because nuclear power plants do not produce carbon dioxide2 fire. But according to critics, including the Greens in the European Parliament, nuclear power is not sustainable because it is generated from a limited raw material of uranium. In addition, nuclear power plants produce nuclear waste.
Gas is also a raw material that can run out. When electricity is generated from gas, carbon dioxide is2 Fired. But according to the member states of Southern and Eastern Europe, gas-fired power plants pollute less than coal-fired power plants. They consider gas to be indispensable at the moment during the transition to truly sustainable forms of energy, such as the sun and wind.
The commission has now decided that gas-fired power plants that meet certain conditions may be called green. For example, it may not exceed 270 grams of carbon dioxide2 per kilowatt hour. EU advisors recommended a maximum of 100g. The draft proposal will now be examined by Member States and a panel of experts. The Commission will submit a final proposal later this month. Member states and the European Parliament can object after the proposal has been submitted.
