Nuclear energy and gas have had a kind of eco-seal in the European Union since the beginning of 2022. The basis is the so-called taxonomy regulation for the classification of sustainable energy sources from 2020, which the Commission expanded to include these two energy sources. In concrete terms, financial products such as funds can be advertised as “sustainable”, even if they envisage investments in gas or nuclear power plants.
“Nuclear and gas cannot be sustainable,” said the managing director of Greenpeace Germany, Nina Treu. “Green money must not be misused for industries that led us to the natural and climate crisis. It must flow into renewable energies and the sustainable conversion to a social-ecological economy.” According to Greenpeace, the French nuclear park operator Electricité de France (EDF) wants to issue “green bonds” to investors.
The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), together with the European office of WWF and other organizations, filed a separate lawsuit against the eco-label for natural gas in the EU court. “Supposed climate protection through fraudulent labeling is unacceptable,” said BUND chairman Olaf Bandt.
The Austrian government had previously sued against the sustainability seal for nuclear and gas. The Brussels classification is considered a typical compromise between German and French interests: France in particular is campaigning for nuclear energy at EU level; On the other hand, the federal government can live with the classification of natural gas because of its importance for German industry.
