The nuclear option

Mark Lynas | 25th October 2021 | Comment
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The energy and climate crises are hitting Europe hard. Here's how to fix them both

Europe has plenty of climate targets. What it lacks, though, are both realistic energy policies and a feasible route out of reliance on fossil fuels. The continent’s renewables mostly consist of wind power followed by solar, an unreliable combination which requires back-up energy sources. Yet without nuclear power, the only options Europe has to rely on are: burning imported biomass, burning Russian gas or burning European coal. None of these options should be on the table for obvious reasons. Yet nuclear, the only alternative to these, is not on the taxonomy. Taxonomics The EU taxonomy is a classification system; it contains a pre-approved list of economic activities considered environmentally sustainable. It aims to provide security for investors and policymakers, thereby boosting investment in the Green Deal. The EU taxonomy will codify what is considered 'sustainable' in future financing of energy. This will necessarily include renewables, for which there is a broad political conse...

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