The European Commission released a draft proposal on Friday that called for classifying gas and nuclear energy as climate-friendly.
The document was delivered to European Union member countries late on Friday evening, as 2021 was closing.
The contentious policy, which aims to encourage investment toward EU energy production, will be played out amid an existing split among the countries.
The EU discusses: Can gas and nuclear energy classify as climate-friendly?
Supporters of the proposal have said that natural gas is “cleaner” than other energy sources like coal and nuclear energy produces zero carbon emissions.
Environmentalists generally oppose these choices in the name of environmental sustainability. Germany’s Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, a member of the environmentalist Green Party, said the plan would “water down” existing efforts.
The prospects of the draft being rejected are slim because only a few EU countries besides Germany have spoken out against nuclear energy.
