Monday, December 2, 2024

EU countries split over support for nuclear energy

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“This momentum must now be converted into a comprehensive and enabling European framework for nuclear development, exploring essential policies dimensions including financing,” the group said in a joint statement.

The statement was signed by Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden. Italy participated in the pro-nuclear meeting but did not sign the statement.

Meanwhile, Austria and Germany led a 13-country call to demand Brussels promotes renewable energy instead. The statement did not directly mention nuclear energy, but EU diplomats said the aim was emphasise investments in renewable energy and power grids over atomic energy.

“Funding should focus on cost-efficient technologies where common targets exist,” the statement said.

The EU has common targets to expand renewable energy, but no common targets for nuclear energy.

The statement was signed by Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

Cyprus, Lithuania and Belgium – which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, a role that typically sees a country step back from participating in such statements – did not sign either statement. The Netherlands signed both.

The split over nuclear energy reflects wider divisions in the EU.

France, which gets around 70 per cent of its power from nuclear power, is nuclear energy’s main champion in Europe. France’s allies include some poorer eastern European countries that have nuclear reactors or plan to build them to wean their economies off highly-polluting coal.

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