Comment BRUSSELS — European lawmakers voted Wednesday to move forward with a plan to label some nuclear power and natural gas as “green” energy, a closely watched decision that could shape climate policy for years to come. At issue is a European Union framework known as the “EU taxonomy” intended to guide investment in projects consistent with the bloc’s goal of being climate neutral by 2050. In February, weeks before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine, the EU’s executive branch unveiled a plan to classify some natural gas and nuclear power as “transitional” green investments in some cases, sparking furious backlash. Five months later, as Russia uses natural gas as a weapon and the global energy crisis deepens, lawmakers in the European Parliament rejected an objection to the proposal by a vote of 328 to 278. Those who support the inclusion of natural gas and nuclear power argue that they are necessary to facilitate the transition to renewable energy, especially given the war’s impact on energy prices. The European Commission welcomed the vote, saying it was a “realistic and realistic approach” to help countries move towards climate neutrality. Critics are not convinced. Many fear the bloc is weakening itself when it comes to climate targets. There were boos when the tally was read at the Parliament seat in Strasbourg, France. He called it a press release from the environmental activist group Greenpeace “Dirty politics” that would “keep more money flowing into Putin’s war chest.” “This will delay a desperately needed real sustainable transition and deepen our dependence on Russian fuel,” climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg tweeted on Wednesday. “The hypocrisy is impressive, but unfortunately not surprising.” The decision comes as the war in Ukraine drags into its fifth month and European leaders face soaring gas prices, threats of additional Russian strikes and growing domestic calls for governments to do more. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the Commission is drawing up contingency plans to “protect our single market and industrial supply chains from disruption”. There will also be a special meeting on July 26 for ministers to discuss “winter preparedness” for the energy sector. At the heart of the debate is whether gas generators and nuclear power plants can ever, under any circumstances, be considered sustainable or green. Before the war, the inclusion of natural gas was supported by member states who argued that it was needed as a “bridge” while countries weaned themselves off fossil fuels and increased renewable energy capacity. France and others pushed for the inclusion of nuclear power, despite strong German opposition. The plan was opposed not only by environmentalists, but also by some EU advisers and even by the chief executive of a group representing major investors. Critics said the European Commission’s attempt to “protect private investors from greenwashing” risked turning into greenwashing on an even bigger scale. Opponents of natural gas being included in the green classification have expressed concern that it will incentivize investment in fossil fuels and delay the EU’s transition to renewable energy. There are also concerns that it will set a precedent, leading to similar guidelines elsewhere. The war in Ukraine added new complications to the debate. The war has made Europe re-examine its dependence on Russia, particularly when it comes to fossil fuels, and boosted calls to speed up the energy transition. The EU has agreed to phase out coal and oil imports from Russia to hit the Kremlin’s war chest. But the bloc remains dependent on natural gas from Russia – a fact not lost on Putin, who has used that leverage to threaten and punish. But defenders of the plan argue that the war has intensified the need for rapid investment in the infrastructure needed to import natural gas from outside Russia. They hope the new rules will boost investment in new natural gas pipelines or facilities to import liquefied natural gas. “The ‘Clean Energy Transition’ does not exist,” tweeted Luis Garicano, a Spanish member of the European Parliament. “A sensible transition requires more than renewable energy.” With the price of natural gas soaring, the war in Ukraine has also intensified interest across Europe in building new nuclear power plants or extending the lives of old ones.
