The European Parliament has voted to include natural gas and nuclear power in the Taxonomy of “climate friendly” energies. This is not a signal that the power of reason has come down on Strasbourg, only that a ban on nuclear energy would be unthinkable because of France, which draws over 70% of its energy from nuclear plants. The positive side of this decision taken by force majeure will be that other EU member states have no alibi for opposing nuclear power—except for their stupidity.
The vote has provoked a wave of hysteria from various green, Malthusian groups that are screaming, among other things, that the EP vote is a “gift to Vladimir Putin.” The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) vowed it would act with its like-minded NGO, Client Earth, to “explore all potential avenues for further action to stop this greenwashing and protect the credibility of the whole EU taxonomy.” Greenpeace announced its intention to submit a formal request for internal review to the European Commission, and if this fails to yield results, will then take legal action at the European Court of Justice.
