The European Union (EU) has proposed a plan to give some energy projects focusing on low carbon gas sources and nuclear energy a "green" label, which has sparked backlash from some member states, including Germany and Austria.
Critics from Germany said the plan would be detrimental to the EU green rulebook.
The EU wants to put a temporary green label on gas projects that replace coal and emit no more than 270 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour, World Oil reported. Those facilities would have to obtain construction permits before 2031 and have plans to switch to renewable or low-carbon gases by 2036.
While many disagree with the plan, the EU would need at least 20 member states, or 65%, vote against it to strike down the rule. This is unlikely, however, as World Oil reported that several countries have expressed support for the inclusion of nuclear power in the defined “green” energy sphere.
"Nuclear energy could be classified as sustainable as long as the new plants granted construction permits by 2045 meet a set of criteria to avoid significant harm to the environment and water resources, according to the draft seen by Bloomberg News,” the report states.
Leonore Gewessler, Austria’s climate and energy minister, said that if the EU does not cancel the proposal, it should expect a legal challenge.
A temporary green label on some gas projects could help countries trying to transition away from coal, an argument often cited by Eastern European countries, the report stated. The EU commission stated that gas and nuclear energy could also “facilitate the transition toward a predominantly renewable-based future.”
According to The Guardian, the Czech Republic, France and Hungary support the plan.