Energy policy: Green label for gas and nuclear power permitted

The classification of gas and nuclear power as climate-friendly remains valid in the European Union. On Wednesday, the General Court of the European Union dismissed a lawsuit by Austria, which considers a green label for these energy sources inadmissible. The Brussels authority was entitled to assume that certain economic activities in the nuclear and gas sectors can, under certain conditions, contribute significantly to climate protection, the ruling stated. The EU included gas and nuclear power in its so-called taxonomy for sustainable investments in 2022.

Austria's then Environment Minister, Leonore Gewessler (Greens), had filed a lawsuit against this classification. The reason given was that nuclear energy could not meet the requirement of not causing significant environmental damage due to the problem of radioactive waste. The inclusion of gas and nuclear power in the taxonomy in 2022 revealed deep rifts between EU member states. While countries like Spain and Denmark criticized the classification of the CO₂-emitting gas as lacking credibility, Poland and Bulgaria, among others, supported the rules as an aid to the phase-out of coal, which is particularly harmful to the climate. Austria is considered a staunch opponent of nuclear power and has never operated its own nuclear power plant.