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WORLD NEWS Thursday 3 February 2022
EU wants to allow natural gas, nuclear in green investment

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN mates that about 350 bil-
Associated Press lion euros of investment
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- per year will be needed to
pean Union on Wednesday meet the 2030 targets.
proposed including nucle- Energy use accounts for
ar energy and natural gas about three-quarters of the
in its plans for building a greenhouse gas emissions
climate-friendly future, di- produced in the EU. Com-
viding member countries mission officials believe that
and drawing outcry from as long as there are not
environmentalists as "gre- enough renewables avail-
enwashing." able, gas and nuclear will
The green labeling system help phase out more harm-
from the European Com- ful energy sources.
mission, the EU's executive Under the plan, gas proj-
arm, defines what qualifies ects must meet emission
as an investment in sustain- thresholds and achieve re-
able energy in the 27-na- duction targets. They also
tion bloc. Under certain should replace existing
conditions, gas and nucle- coal facilities that cannot
ar energy could be part of be substituted with renew-
the mix, making it easier for ables and switch to renew-
private investors to inject able or low-carbon gases
money into both. Climate activists pose with masks of EU leaders, from left, European Commission President Ursula by 2035.
The plan seemed designed von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron during For nuclear, the commis-
to please the EU's two most an action in front of EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. sion said research, devel-
powerful nations: France Associated Press opment and use of ad-
is reliant on nuclear pow- vanced technologies re-
er, which raises concerns in the taxonomy," she said. does not amount to a free enwashing exercise of all ducing waste and improv-
about long-term impact on "Nuclear power is anything pass and aims to acceler- time. It makes a mockery ing safety will be included.
the environment, and Ger- but sustainable, it is risky, ate efforts to reduce car- of the EU's claims to global New nuclear plants pro-
many depends on gas, a too expensive, and the bon emissions. leadership on climate and ducing electricity or heat
fossil fuel many consider a construction and planning "We are setting out strict the environment," Green- are allowed until 2045.
bridge to renewables. processes are too lengthy conditions to help mobi- peace EU sustainable fi- France, which derives
But Steffi Lemke, the Ger- to contribute to climate lize finance to support this nance campaigner Ariad- about 70% of its electricity
man environment minister, neutrality by 2050." transition away from more na Rodrigo said. from nuclear energy, led
lambasted the plan over its EU members Austria and harmful energy sources With the EU aiming to reach the charge for its inclusion
nuclear power provision. Luxembourg already have like coal," said Mairead climate neutrality by 2050 with several other EU coun-
"Today's decision by the raised the possibility of le- McGuinness, the commis- and to cut greenhouse gas tries that operate nuclear
European Commission is gal disputes as they chal- sioner in charge of financial emissions by at least 55% power plants. A low-car-
unacceptable. Like many lenge the green notion of services. by 2030, the bloc says the bon alternative to fossil fu-
other EU member states, nuclear. Critics call it a big blow to so-called taxonomy clas- els, nuclear energy repre-
Germany is clearly and The commission says in- climate goals. sification system is crucial sented around 26% of the
unequivocally against the cluding nuclear and gas as "This anti-science plan rep- to direct investments into electricity produced in the
inclusion of nuclear power transitional energy sources resents the biggest gre- sustainable energy. It esti- bloc in 2019.q

Lebanon's taxi, bus and van drivers block roads in protest

BEIRUT (AP) — Scores of sections, some with burning state subsidies in October.
Lebanon's taxi, bus and tires. Unions have said the A full tank of gasoline now
truck drivers started a three- strike actions will last from costs more than the month-
day strike on Wednesday, 5:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. ly minimum wage.
blocking roads and de- "There was a time when a A government gridlock
manding the government taxi driver's son could be- seemed to ease somewhat
address surging prices and come a doctor, an engi- on Jan. 24, when the pow-
a broader economic crisis. neer, anything prestigious," erful Hezbollah group and
It was the second time said taxi driver Hussein As- its main Shiite ally ended
in three weeks unions sam, 55, who was protest- months of boycott on the
held strike action, forcing ing near central Beirut's body. It now hopes to elab-
schools, universities, and once thriving Hamra Street. orate the 2022 budget and
many shops to close. With "Now the taxi driver can't an economic recovery
public transport virtually even feed his children." plan.
nonexistent in Lebanon, Lebanon's crippling eco- Back near Hamra street, Dump trucks block a main highway during a general strike by
public transport unions protesting the country's deteriorating
many rely on such shared nomic crisis has been de- taxi driver Assam was economic and financial conditions in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednes-
taxis, buses or minivans for scribed by the World Bank joined by two other drivers day, Feb. 2, 2022.
their daily commute and as one of the worst in the as they waited for orders to Associated Press
travel. past century, and unions shut down traffic.
Beirut was eerily quiet as have routinely held protests "If there's no outcome to- commercial boulevard who can't eat anymore is
protesting drivers blocked and strikes since the gov- day, there will be later," he that has been reduced to going to burn the entire
its main highways and inter- ernment officially ended said, looking on the former penury. "The poor person country."q