‘Disgraceful’ EU plans to include GAS as ‘sustainable’ fuel for net zero push sparks fury

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The confidential “non-paper” was reportedly sent to the European Commission on October 29 and has drawn the ire of environmental activists. According to the document, which has been seen by Express.co.uk, the EU has considered updating its green finance taxonomy to include both nuclear power and natural gas. As the economic bloc pushes for a net zero emissions target of 2050, the EU has faced mounting pressure to make nuclear energy part of the deal.

But environmental campaigners have questioned the consideration given to natural gas.

Although cleaner than regular oil and coal, the burning of gas still releases considerable amounts of planet-warming greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

The EU’s green taxonomy is a classification system that establishes a list of “environmentally sustainable economic activities”.

In order to qualify for a “sustainable” label, gas-powered plants need to emit less than 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour (CO2/kWh), the draft paper has reportedly claimed.

The same proposal was passed around Brussels last year but the 100g target was shot down by a coalition of 10 pro-gas countries for being too stringent.

Last month, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, called on the economic bloc to invest in more eco-friendly energy sources.

Speaking during a European Council conference, she said Europe’s transition towards net-zero will have to rely on natural gas.

She also tweeted: “We need more renewables. They are cheaper, carbon-free and homegrown.

“We also need a stable source, nuclear, and during the transition, gas.

“This is why we will come forward with our taxonomy proposal.”

The leaked paper appears to outline what exactly it would mean for natural gas to be a “transitional energy source”.

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This includes direct emissions below 340gCO2/kWh and yearly emissions below 700kgCo2/kWH.

According to the European branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the proposals outlined in the newly leaked papers are “radically weaker” when compared to past Commission proposals.

The document would reportedly allow many gas plants commissioned up to the year 2030 to be classified “green”.

The plants would then kickstart operations by 2035 or later, in what the WWF claimed would be at odds with the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) net zero recommendations.

According to the IEA, there must be no investments in fossil fuels and gas plants in industrialised nations must be shut down by 2035 if global warming is to be kept under 1.5C.

Henry Eviston, spokesman on sustainable finance at WWF European Policy Office, said: “This proposal is a scientific disgrace that would deal a fatal blow to the taxonomy.

“It would severely damage the EU’s sustainable finance agenda and the EU Green Deal.

“It must be firmly rejected by the Commission and opposed by all Member States.

“With all eyes on COP26, the EU must show rock-solid climate leadership.”

Although the source of the leaked paper is unknown, there has been some speculation about it originating in France.

French President Emmanuel Macron was joined by the leaders of nine other countries last month in a call to include nuclear power in the EU’s green taxonomy.

However, Pierre Cannet, director of advocacy at WWF-France, believes the suggested proposals are not in line with France’s previous commitments.

He said: “At COP26 today, President Macron again spoke of the need to limit global warming to 1.5C.

“We know that to do so, we must end the use of fossil fuels – including fossil gas.

“We, therefore, assume that France does not support this taxonomy paper, which would be totally at odds with the President’s words, and we call on the French government to confirm this.”

Express.co.uk has asked the European Commission to comment. 

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