Climate advocates responded with outrage to the European Parliament’s vote Wednesday to classify fossil gas and nuclear projects as “green,” an official designation that will allow them to access additional taxpayer subsidies and private capital despite their destructive environmental impacts.
Members of the European Parliament voted 328 to 278 to kill a motion that would have blocked the European Commission’s so-called “taxonomy” plan, clearing the way for the proposal to become law as demonstrators inside the parliament building in Strasbourg, France voiced their objections.
“Betrayal!” protesters yelled as an official announced the outcome of the lawmakers’ vote.
🚨𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐋🚨
The #EUTaxonomy vote has been a 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐋 to European people, and our activists made sure that decision-makers who are responsible know that they've just 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐃 Europeans. #NotMyTaxonomy pic.twitter.com/UdJZFI4u24
— WeMove Europe ❌ #NotMyTaxonomy (@wemoveEU) July 6, 2022
Politico explains that under the proposed rules, “new gas-fired plants built through 2030 will be recognized as a transitional energy source as long as they replace a coal- or fuel oil-fired plant, switch to a low-carbon gas like hydrogen by 2035, and stay under a maximum emissions cap over 20 years.”
“Existing nuclear plants will receive a green label,” the outlet added, “if they pledge to switch to so-called ‘accident-tolerant fuels’ beginning in 2025 and detail plans for final storage of radioactive waste in 2050.”
Marie Toussaint, a member of parliament with the Greens, condemned the plan as “an odious greenwashing attempt” and a “failure for Europe and the climate.”
In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Toussaint wrote that “with this taxonomy, billions of euros normally devoted to the energy transition will be captured by nuclear energy and gas, dirty, dangerous, and too-expensive energies.”
“It’s also a huge giveaway for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Toussaint argued. “According to Greenpeace E.U., 4 billion euros per year will go to Putin’s Russia via new gas projects, for a total of 32 billion euros by 2030.”
Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, a co-founder of Progressive International, offered a similar assessment in a video posted to social media Wednesday:
"Paris agreed to greenwash the Russian gas on which German industry depends, and Berlin agreed to greenwash the French nuclear industry", says @yanisvaroufakis about the EU energy taxonomy. #NotMyTaxonomy #DontPaintItGreenpic.twitter.com/M60INvwIc8
— DiEM25 (@DiEM_25) July 6, 2022
Almost immediately following Wednesday’s vote, Greenpeace E.U. vowed to take legal action against the European Commission over the taxonomy, arguing that “it’s dirty politics and it’s an outrageous outcome to label gas and nuclear as green and keep more money flowing to Putin’s war chest.”
“The E.U. Commission’s shameful backroom dealing on behalf of the fossil fuel and nuclear industries won’t help,” said Ariadna Rodrigo, Greenpeace E.U.’s sustainable finance campaigner. “We’re inspired by the climate activists here in Strasbourg this week and are confident that the courts will strike down this politically motivated greenwashing as clearly in breach of E.U. law.”
As the New York Times notes, a “green” label for gas and nuclear projects “provides financial incentives for European countries and companies to invest in those energy sources, and, critics say, would delay fully switching to renewable sources that are much better for the environment, such as wind and solar energy.”
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was among those expressing that concern Wednesday, warning that the European Commission rules “will delay a desperately needed real sustainable transition and deepen our dependency on Russian fuels.”
“The hypocrisy is striking,” she added, “but unfortunately not surprising.”
The Not My Taxonomy campaign, which mobilized against the European Commission proposal, said that Wednesday’s vote “is not the end.”
“This is a step backwards in the fight against greenwashing and a step away from the sustainable future the E.U. has promised, but we are not defeated,” the campaigners said. “The movement will continue to fight for our collective future.”