The Austrian government is threatening to sue the European Commission (EC) if it implements a proposal, published 31st December, to define nuclear power and natural gas as environmentally friendly energy.
If these plans are implemented, we will sue, tweeted Leonore Gewessler, Austrian Minister of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (pictured).
Gewessler accuses the EC of a “Nacht und Nebel” (“Night and Fog”) move; wording once used by the German Nazis for their approach to political opponents during World War II.
Nuclear power is dangerous and no solution in the fight against the climate crisis, adds the member of Die Grünen – Die Grüne Alternative (The Greens – The Green Alternative).
The EC proposal is part of their “taxonomy” guidance to support sustainable investment.
The European Commission believes that both nuclear power and gas power can be approved as “green” energy. In that case, several prerequisites must be met, and nuclear power plants must have a concrete plan for handling radioactive waste.
EU countries strongly disagree on whether nuclear power and natural gas should be considered as environmentally friendly energy. The German governing party SPD also wants to prevent a set of rules where nuclear power is given this classification. Germany is in the process of closing down its remaining nuclear power plants. Au contraire, France wants to invest in more nuclear power.
Source
Østerrike truer med søksmål mot foreslåtte energiregler i EU (Austria threatens lawsuits against proposed energy rules in the EU), Aftenposten, 2021-01-02
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