2022 Year in Review

E U R O P E ’ S F E A S I B I L I T Y T O F U L L Y
C O M M I T T O A F O S S I L F U E L T R A N S I T I O N
A M I D T H E U K R A I N E W A R
In the wake of the Ukraine war, Europe’s ambitions to become global leaders in
the transition to climate neutrality remains uncertain, with coal plants being refired
across the continent and the use of atomic energy moving to the forefront
of the conversation. The Netherlands is considering gas fracking, and like
Germany, Belgium has turned to delaying its nuclear plant phase-out. As the war
escalates, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that closing their 3 last
nuclear power plants is no longer viable, insisting that a series of tests on the
German power system would determine whether their use is necessary past
their decommissioning dates.
As Putin’s aggression reshapes Europe’s energy security considerations, nuclear
energy advocates agree that it can assist in bridging Europe’s fuel deficit,
accompanying an already underway shift to integrate wind, solar and other
renewable energy resources to meet the Green Deal’s ambitious targets. While it
may take longer for Europe to achieve carbon neutrality, it is clear that nuclear
provides promising homegrown energy and reliable electricity amid increasing
energy prices.
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