In order to find a compromise between EU Member States, nuclear energy and fossil gas should be included in the EU taxonomy as transitional activities and under certain conditions, said the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Pascal Canfin (Renew Europe, France), in an online press interview on Monday 6 December.
“My proposal is to include nuclear energy in the taxonomy, because it is a decarbonised activity and, in this context, it can be useful for the energy transition. However, nuclear power is not green because of the risks involved and the waste and therefore cannot be included in the same category as renewable energy”, said Mr Canfin.
Adopted on 18 June 2020, the EU Taxonomy Regulation (2020/852) is intended to become a classification system to help investors by determining which economic activities can be considered “sustainable” or “green”.
However, it also provides a category for “transitional” activities (see EUROPE 12393/20).
These are activities for which low-carbon alternatives are not yet available and which meet the following two conditions: - not to hinder the development and deployment of low-carbon alternatives; - not lead to a lock-in of carbon-intensive assets, given the economic life of these assets.
According to Mr Canfin, including nuclear in the taxonomy, but under this category, would represent a compromise between pro-nuclear EU countries, such as France, and those opposed to its inclusion in the taxonomy, such as Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark, Portugal and Spain (see EUROPE 12831/9, 12754/8).
Specific conditions for nuclear and gas
For the French MEP, the inclusion of nuclear and fossil gas in the EU taxonomy should be accompanied by a specific transparency mechanism for these activities, which would oblige investors to declare the scope of the taxonomy used: “(1) without gas and nuclear, (2) with gas and nuclear, (3) without gas, (4) without nuclear”.
He also suggests that additional conditions should be set for fossil gas to include only those plants that replace coal-fired power plants and whose direct emissions are less than 270 gCO2e/kWh on average over the life cycle of the investment. A third condition should ensure that new gas investments are made before 2030, he further stressed.
The proposal for a delegated act on fossil gas and nuclear is expected to be unveiled by the European Commission in the coming days. According to Mr Canfin, the text is currently in the hands of the cabinet of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will present it to the College of Commissioners once it is finalised. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)