Under the leadership of French President Emmanuel Macron, the European Commission can classify natural gas and nuclear energy on the record.Clean energies“In order to give these two industries access to financing from European investors and funds for”The Green DealClimate Reduction Scheme.
The curricula are not based on climate and scientific considerations, but on economic negotiations between countries. This operation raises concerns that Brussels is engaging in “environmental laundering” and climate catastrophe.
An important financial stake
At the heart of this sleight of hand is the Clean Energy rating that began in 2019. This labelClean energiesThe green light will be allocated to investors and mutual funds in this category. Over the coming years, Europe plans to issue more than 250 billion euros of debt in the form of sustainable bonds, and the European Bank will de facto support the energies identified in this classification.
We understand the lobbyists’ eagerness to include their dowry by all means.
Taxonomy becomes a political rather than a scientific tool
The purpose of the exercise is to advise financial institutions around the world in order to support or not support energy facilities on a climate and scientific basis.
Initially, the proposal suggested defining “liquid” energies (oil and gas) as “clean”, thus rejecting coal (solid energy) in the category of pollutant vector elimination. The idea made more than one smile.
At the beginning of 2021, a proposal was rejected by European countries because this designation did not include natural or nuclear gas. In fact, out of 27 member states in Europe, many want to protect their right to use gas or nuclear energy to replace coal in their zero-emissions strategy. Not appearing on this list denies access to funding.
The Financial times He reveals that the gas parlor is on the verge of success. In addition, the two parties: gas and nuclear could unite to pass the proposal *.
However, some voices are being raised in order to reveal this nonsense. A decision is expected in the fall this week.
A boost to French nuclear power
It is well understood that, for some countries, this taxonomy is not intended to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions but rather to meet their own interests. Hence, Emmanuel Macron’s ambition is to sell and finance EDF services to build EPR nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe.
As for the countries of the East, the exit of coal fears. Access to Russian gas and French nuclear energy can reassure governments. The nuclear option, closely linked to the potential for corruption prevalent in the industry, is seen particularly positively.
For its part, some call for the use of scientific criteria to classify clean energies. With large methane emissions, natural gas is under heavy criticism in the climate context.
Global momentum
The European Parliament and European countries have the power to block this designation.
If Emmanuel Macron’s tour of power crystallizes, then natural gas and nuclear energy could also be included in the classification in China and the United States. We understand the importance of the decision.
Part of the answer must happen this week.
* With 6 other presidents, Emmanuel Macron asked the European Commission to include nuclear energy in clean energies with the aim of using the green money provided by Europe. The signatories are: France (Emmanuel Macron), the Czech Republic (André Babis), Hungary (Viktor Urban), Poland (Matthews Moravík), Romanian (Florin Co), Slovakia (Igor Matoviش), and Slovenia (Janez Jancha).