Role of nuclear energy – red-white-red criticism of EU sustainability plans

With fixed targets in the new “Critical Raw Materials Act”, the import dependency of raw materials such as lithium and rare earth metals should decrease, according to one of the proposals. At least ten percent of such strategically important raw materials, based on annual consumption, will be extracted in the EU in the future, of which 40 percent will be processed and 15 percent will be recycled. In addition, the EU may not be more than 65 percent dependent on a third country. That should work, although demand is increasing.

Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen stressed in Brussels that cooperation with reliable trading partners around the world is being strengthened in order to reduce the EU’s dependence on just one or a few countries. The EU gets about 98 percent of its rare earth metals and 93 percent of its magnesium from China. In the case of rare earths, China’s market share is almost 90 percent. Lithium usually comes from China or Chile. But there are also events in Europe. For example on the Koralm between Carinthia and Styria.

“Speed ​​and simplification for financing”
To further counter the risks of dependency, a second bill (Net-Zero Industry Act/Net-Zero-Industrie-Gesetz) should, among other things, simplify approval procedures for strategically important value chains. The proposal also aims to simplify state aid rules and make the use of EU funds more flexible. “In short, the Net Zero Industry Act brings speed, simplification and financing,” said von der Leyen. Exactly which industries should benefit from special rules was discussed to the end.

Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) welcomed the plans himself, but came with a big but: “It is a completely wrong decision by Austria to include nuclear energy in the Net-Zero Industry Act.” In general, however, it is important for Europe to find a common response to the competitiveness plans of the US and China. “With the Net-Zero Industry Act, there is now a proposal on how we can strengthen Europe as a sustainable business location and turn climate protection into a competitive advantage.” Both belong together, because investments in the future are investments in climate protection, ie investments in clean, renewable energy sources. In any case, strengthening the PV industry and expanding the wind energy and heat pump sectors is the right way forward.

Environmental organizations: Long-term dependence on fossil fuels
“Unfortunately, the European Commission has lumped these technologies, which are necessary for the energy transition, with methods such as CO2 capture and storage or nuclear energy,” said WWF climate spokesman Thomas Zehetner. “With this, Europe risks an unnecessary expansion of its dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear energy.” Global 2000 was “deeply concerned” that the regulation serves more as a tool to secure the supply of massive European over-consumption than to increase the demand for raw materials and promote resource equality.

AK: “Nuclear energy not equal to renewable energy sources”
The Chamber of Labor also spoke out clearly against defining nuclear energy as a climate-neutral technology, as proposed. A report from the Austrian Ministry of Climate proves that nuclear energy can never be climate neutral. Neither the production nor the final storage are sustainable or eligible. The Austrian workers “categorically reject the classification of nuclear energy as equivalent to renewable energy”.