An 18-year-old climate activist, Ia Aanstoot is calling on Greenpeace to drop what she described as the “old-fashioned and unscientific” campaign against nuclear power in the EU.
Recall that In April, the environmental campaign group announced it would appeal against the EU Commission’s decision to include nuclear power in its classification system for sustainable finance. This “taxonomy” is designed as a guide for private investors wanting to fund green projects, aiming to boost environmental investment.
Aanstoot, from Sweden, who took part in the Friday school strikes movement started by Greta Thunberg for three years, was quoted as saying that Greenpeace’s legal challenge served fossil fuel interests instead of climate action.
With campaigners from five other EU countries, Aanstoot has launched the Dear Greenpeace campaign, asking the NGO to “drop your old-fashioned and unscientific opposition to nuclear power, and join us in the fight against fossil fuels instead”.
Aanstoot was reported to have submitted papers to the EU court of justice, asking to become an “interested party” in the upcoming legal battle between the European Commission and Greenpeace. If the court approves the request, she and other pro-nuclear campaigners will be able to provide testimony in favour of nuclear power.
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However, Greenpeace has argued that the EU classification system is “greenwashing” that allows nuclear power plants to receive money that otherwise would have gone to renewables. Lawyers acting for the NGO have said nuclear energy causes “significant harm to the environment” so should not be included in the taxonomy.
Aanstoot said: “Over a third of the clean energy in the EU is nuclear power, so Greenpeace’s motion to get rid of it is really harmful, I think. And I would definitely prefer to be working together with Greenpeace to get rid of fossil fuels. But when they are actively fighting such a large and useful tool like nuclear power, I don’t feel like I can work with them.
Speaking further, she said “Greenpeace is stuck in the past fighting clean, carbon-free nuclear energy while the world is literally burning. We need to be using all the tools available to address climate change and nuclear is one of them. I’m tired of having to fight my fellow environmentalists about this when we should be fighting fossil fuels together.”
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
