New natural gas and nuclear energy projects could be classified as “green” investments to help the European Union (EU) reach its net-zero emissions target by 2050, according to a draft proposal by the European Commission (EC) published this month.

Regulations proposed under the EC’s taxonomy draft, part of a set of policy initiatives called the European Green Deal, could attract billions of euros in state and private investments for natural gas and nuclear projects classified as environmentally sustainable. 

However, the draft was met with threats of legal actions against the commission. Since the regulations were first proposed in 2020, the final draft has been delayed several times because of disputes between EU member countries. Despite the lack of agreement, the...