European lawmakers have approved a law designating gas and nuclear as sustainable energy sources as part of a system aimed at encouraging direct investment towards climate-friendly projects.
The vote in Strasbourg on Wednesday followed months of heated debate over the inclusion of gas and nuclear in the EU’s financial labelling “taxonomy”, as the bloc attempts to cut its reliance on Russian gas while simultaneously meeting its commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Only 278 members of the European Parliament voted against designating investment in gas and nuclear as “green”, falling short of the 353 majority needed to reject the legal act. Member states have until July 11 to object to the proposal but EU officials said that it is unlikely to be blocked.