"Stop greenwashing" - Protests planned over gas & nuclear in EU taxonomy
Young people and environmental NGOs, including WWF, are expected to take to the streets this Saturday across Europe to protest the greenwashing of gas and nuclear power in the EU.The EU is about to classify fossil gas and nuclear power as environmentally sustainable under the EU Taxonomy - the EU’s “green” investment guidebook - despite the fact that fossil gas generates huge emissions, and nuclear power creates highly radioactive waste which we still do not know how to handle.
Protesters are calling on Members of the European Parliament to reject the Commission’s proposal to greenwash gas and nuclear power. The European Parliament will take a final decision on the matter during the plenary session in July. If MEPs fail to vote it down, the Delegated Act will enter into force and gas and nuclear power will officially become green investments - with the EU’s stamp of approval.
“Young people’s future will be the most impacted by the dirty deals political leaders are striking today, yet their concerns about the climate crisis are largely sidelined. Political cynicism breeds when people feel that they are not listened to. By greenwashing the EU Taxonomy, the EU is about to breach the trust of many citizens,” said Sebastien Godinot, Senior Economist at WWF European Policy Office.
Besides, contrary to common practice, the European Commission did not hold a public consultation on this proposal, despite doing so three times when discussing renewable energy in the Taxonomy. WWF and many other organisations will be campaigning until the final vote to ensure that people’s voices are heard and the Commission’s flawed proposal is rejected by Parliament.
