Irish Examiner view: Nuclear and gas plan may be harmful

European Commission plan 'makes no sense and it sends the wrong signals for the energy transition of the whole of the EU', says Spanish minister

While nuclear power does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, it can lead to serious accidents.

The European Commission may be correct in its assessment that we need to continue to use nuclear power and natural gas as major energy sources for the foreseeable future, but justifying that decision by classifying both as ‘green’ technology defies both science and commonsense.

In a statement released last Saturday, the commission said it had begun consulting with EU members on a text that would be sent to the European Parliament and European Council for scrutiny. The document is part of the EU Taxonomy, a rule book designed to channel investment towards activities meant to help achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions over the next three decades.