EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says Europe’s move away from nuclear power was a strategic error, highlighting energy vulnerability amid the Middle East conflict.
PARIS: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday labelled Europe’s historical retreat from civilian nuclear power a “strategic mistake”, arguing the ongoing Middle East war has exposed the continent’s dangerous vulnerability to fossil fuel imports.
Speaking at the opening of a nuclear energy summit near Paris, she stated that turning away from a reliable and affordable low-emission power source had been an error for the continent.
She emphasised that Europe’s complete dependence on expensive and volatile fossil fuel imports was creating a structural disadvantage compared to other global regions.
“The current Middle East crisis gives a stark reminder of the vulnerability it creates,” von der Leyen added, with the US-Israeli war with Iran entering its second week.
She argued that home-grown low-carbon sources like nuclear and renewables together could become the joint guarantors of Europe’s independence, security of supply, and competitiveness.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this sentiment, stating civilian nuclear power was key to achieving both energy sovereignty and decarbonisation goals.
Macron warned that excessive dependence on hydrocarbons could make them a tool of pressure or even destabilisation in the current geopolitical context.
Von der Leyen highlighted the dramatic decline in nuclear’s share of Europe’s electricity from one-third in 1990 to only about 15% today.
She announced the European Union would create a EUR 200 million guarantee to support investment in innovative nuclear technologies.
Nuclear energy fell into crisis globally following Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster, which reinforced fears from the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe.
A renewed international focus on energy sovereignty and the search for clean energies to counter global warming has since reignited interest in atomic power.
According to the World Nuclear Association, nuclear power accounts for about 9% of the world’s electricity, with some 440 reactors operating in around 30 countries.
