EU Fails To Agree On Role Of Nukes In Green Transition

European Union (EU) countries failed to adopt conclusions on climate diplomacy owing to a deepening spat over the role of nuclear energy in the green transition, EU officials told Reuters.

Photo Insert: Countries are struggling to agree on whether the text should explicitly promote low-carbon hydrogen – meaning hydrogen produced from nuclear electricity – or focus on hydrogen produced from renewable energy.

The upset is the latest development in a dispute between France and other countries who want more EU policies to promote nuclear energy's contribution to cutting CO2 emissions, and those like Germany and Spain who warn it risks distracting from efforts to massively expand renewable energy.

The debate – which focuses on hydrogen produced from nuclear or renewable energy – has already delayed negotiations on new EU renewable energy targets and threatened a multi-billion-euro hydrogen pipeline.

Some EU officials fear it could spill into other green energy policies and potentially delay laws needed to meet EU climate targets.

Countries are struggling to agree on whether the text should explicitly promote low-carbon hydrogen – meaning hydrogen produced from nuclear electricity – or focus on hydrogen produced from renewable energy, they said.

EU officials told Reuters bulk of the text had been approved – including plans for the EU to rally support for a global pledge to phase out fossil fuels ahead of the November UN climate summit.

A draft of the conclusions, seen by Reuters, acknowledged a commitment nearly 200 countries made at previous UN climate talks to phase down coal-fueled energy – but said this must go further, to phase out all CO2-emitting fossil fuels, including oil and gas.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic