No 'green' defence of nuclear energy, warns French MEP
The crisis in Ukraine has given a boost to nuclear energy, which is one way for Europe to move away from its dependence on Russian gas. Nuclear has also been touted – by France in particular – as a "green" energy source. But environmentalists working to wean France off nuclear warn its continued use has derailed the country's carbon targets.
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"The carbon footprint per capita in France hasn't moved in years, whereas it has reduced in every single other member state of the European Union,” says Marie Toussaint, a French Member of the European Parliament with the Green party, which opposes labelling nuclear as a green investment under EU taxonomy rules.
The lawmaker says that while nuclear energy may be emissions-free, building the reactors is not – nor is extracting and importing uranium that drives the plants.
Plus, there are risks of nuclear accidents and issues with stocking the radioactive nuclear waste.
Listen to a conversation with Marie Toussaint in the Spotlight on France podcast:
France, which generates the majority of its electricity from nuclear power, has used it as a crutch, warns Toussaint, and its dependence has kept it from serious efforts on developing renewals and shifting towards a carbon-free economy.
“We could have made efforts since the 1990s in the transport, building or agricultural sector [to reduce emissions], but we are blocked because we rely on the fact that our greenhouse gas emissions are quite low because of nuclear energy,” she says.
“Nuclear is actually preventing any action, which is a problem for France, because every other country is moving forward.”
'Self sufficiency'
Even before the war in Ukraine pushed a renewed interest in nuclear energy in Europe, France had been banking on it to help it meet its carbon emissions goals set out in the Paris agreement, and extended further by the EU.
In February, President Emmanuel Macron relaunched the country’s nuclear programme, arguing for energy self-sufficiency.
France has been pushing the European Commission to label nuclear as a "green" investment in its taxonomy, a decision that is now in the hands of the European Parliament, which has until June to accept or reject the move.
And with the Ukraine crisis pushing European countries to try to reduce their dependence on Russian natural gas imports, nuclear is becoming increasingly attractive across the bloc.
Russian gas
The EU imports 150 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually, 40 percent of which comes from Russia.
A EU plan would cut Russian gas imports by two thirds by the end of the year by accelerating the development of renewable energy, and finding alternative sources of gas.
The plan makes no mention of nuclear energy, though Frans Timmermans, EU Vice President in charge of the bloc’s Green New Deal, said that member states “are free in the choices they make in terms of their energy mix”.
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Countries are legally bound to reduce emissions, so nuclear is an option, though Timmermans said it should be accompanied by an equal investment in renewables.
Several countries are already increasing their use of coal, putting on hold their plans to phase it out and replace it with natural gas.
Some Eastern European countries are also considering ramping up their nuclear projects to meet energy needs in the medium term.
But Toussaint says nuclear is not a good long-term solution, especially given Europe’s climate obligations.
Nuclear not as reliable
Getting approval and building a nuclear plant takes time, and even with construction starting today, nothing will be operational before 2040 or 2045, “whereas we need to reduce our CO2 emissions by 2030".
Plus, nuclear technology is not proving as reliable as its proponents have hoped.
Several of France’s nuclear plants have had to suspend operations, faced with technical problems and because maintenance operations were delayed by Covid lockdowns.
And among the dozens of planned new reactors throughout Europe, only one has gone into operation in over a decade.
Construction on Finland’s Olkiluoto 3 reactor started in 2005, and it only went online on Saturday, to reach full capacity in July.
“Money must be directed towards green activities, and not activities that are putting in danger the safety of the planet,” says Toussaint.
“If we take money and invest in nuclear, it’s money we don't invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
"It’s money that we put in the hand of the planet destructors – the polluters – instead of in the hands of those who really want to have an economy that is protecting the planet.”
Find our interview with Marie Toussaint in the Spotlight on France podcast (episode 70).
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