Austria sues European Union, claiming natural gas and nuclear energy are not ‘green’

Austria is taking the European Union to court over plans to characterize natural gas and nuclear power generation as sustainable energies amid efforts to fight climate change.

The Austrian government on Friday filed a lawsuit with the EU’s top court over the classification used to define clean energy resources. The EU’s executive Commission plans to add certain nuclear and gas plants next year to a list that helps investors determine which projects are sustainable.

Austria’s environment minister, Leonore Gewessler, warned that the measure could “greenwash” nuclear power and gas despite the environmental damage they cause.

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She said calling natural gas that can damage the climate green is misleading and could harm the EU’s credibility. 

She noted that disasters in Chernobyl in Ukraine and Fukushima in Japan have showed that nuclear power plants come with “incalculable risks.”

In a series of tweets, Gewessler said adding certain types of gas to Europe’s taxonomy system “does not do justice to the European efforts for a good & climate-friendly future.”

Austria relies primarily on hydroelectric power for most of its energy needs, UPI reported. 

The nation of Luxembourg, also an EU member, said it will stand with Austria in its legal case. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.