The European Commission has proposed plans to classify some categories of gas and nuclear energy as green, drawing criticism from Germany.
The proponents argue that the gas and nuclear energy sectors are necessary to aid the transition to cleaner energy use.
But Germany’s environment minister called the plan “completely wrong”.
This comes two months before countries pledged to keep the temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius at the last climate summit in Britain COP26.
According to the Commission’s proposal, “it is necessary to recognize that the fossil gas and nuclear energy sectors can contribute to the decarburization of the EU economy.”
Under the proposal, only gas and nuclear power plants that adopt high standards will be classified as producing clean energy.
Nuclear plants will also have to adopt strict waste disposal plans, according to German media network Deutsche Welle. Gas stations will have a maximum amount of carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt-hour of energy produced.
If the majority of EU member states support the proposal, it will become law and take effect from 2023.
According to reports, France has pushed for the inclusion of nuclear power in the proposed plans. France relies on nuclear energy to provide 70 percent of its electricity needs, despite plans to cut this percentage in half within 15 years.
France also pledged to reduce its dependence on nuclear energy by closing 12 nuclear reactors by 2035.
The European proposals were met with criticism from Germany, which has begun a plan to phase out nuclear power completely and has only a few plants left.
German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke described the proposal as “wrong”, adding that nuclear power could lead to environmental disasters and large amounts of nuclear waste.
In turn, the Minister of Economy and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck, criticized the plan as a “greenwash” – indicating that it appears environmentally friendly when in reality it is not.
The plan, he added, “undermines the reputation for sustainability.”
