Gas, nuclear not green, financiers tell EU

Reading Time: < 1 minute

A group of investors who collectively manage EUR 9 trillion has written a joint statement to the EU urging it not to classify natural gas and nuclear power as sustainable under its new system. The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance comprises 60 international finance companies, including Allianz SE, Banco Santander, Barclays, AXA Group and BNP Paribas.

The EU Taxonomy directive was agreed last year and European Commission will decide whether to include natural gas on its list in the coming weeks. The act will enter into force if voted through by the European Parliament and the European Council, which will have the final say on which energy sources are considered “green”. If it classifies nuclear and gas as sustainable, this will impact how investors such as pension funds can approach “greening” their investment portfolios.

The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance however supports the creation of separate investment vehicles for investments in oil, gas and nuclear power. Last month a number of member states including Czechia, France and Poland pushed for the inclusion of natural gas and nuclear power in the “sustainable” investment category. Green stock and bond portfolios do not currently allow gas and nuclear. The taxonomy regulation is scheduled to come into force in January.

Source: BloombergEuobserver

CET Editor

Recent Posts

A Trumping new reality – CET opinion

One of the most disappointing characteristics of our 21st Century is that while we live…

3 days ago

Poland PM urges defence spending hikes as Baltics cut ties with Russian electricity grid

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on European leaders to increase their defence spending while maintaining close ties…

6 days ago

Kos floats speedy EU accession for Albania, Montenegro

The Munich Security Conference ended on a cautiously positive note for EU candidate countries Albania…

6 days ago

EU looks to Greece for critical raw materials

Greece is poised to become a key player in the EU’s efforts to secure critical…

6 days ago

Poland FM backs Ukraine, but rejects EU army idea

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stressed the necessity of European involvement in any peace talks…

7 days ago

‘Poland: growth leader in Europe and the world’- FM proclaims on 2024 data

Poland’s economy emerged as a regional standout in 2024, recording a GDP growth of 2.9%,…

2 weeks ago