January 11, 2022
Ms. Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission
Open letter
Nuclear energy that is neither "sustainable" nor "green"
should not be included in the EU taxonomy
The European Commission's plan to include nuclear power in the EU Taxonomy as contributing substantially to climate change mitigation has greatly shocked Japanese citizens who experienced the nuclear disaster.
From uranium mining to nuclear power plant operations and decommissioning, nuclear power plants generate radioactive waste and continue to emit radioactive materials into the environment, in direct opposition to being environmentally sustainable. The inclusion of nuclear power in the EU Taxonomy and the EU giving its stamp on nuclear power as being green would not only undermine the credibility of the EU Taxonomy, but also leave a significant negative legacy for the future of the EU and the world. This is something that we cannot accept.
- The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster Is Not Over
The disaster at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is not over. More than 30,000 people still live as evacuees without being able to return to their hometowns. Many people lost their lives, livelihoods, and meaning of life.
The decommissioning of the reactor has made little progress, and the Japanese government plans to release a large amount of water containing radioactive materials from the site into the ocean, and is trying to use the soil containing radioactive materials generated by decontamination for public works projects. Moreover, the investigation into the causes of the nuclear disaster is still ongoing.
The Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred only 25 years after the serious accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Until this happened, the Japanese government and utility companies had irresponsibly promoted nuclear power plants, claiming that "nuclear power plants are absolutely safe."
The EU should learn from the tragedy of such nuclear disasters, and avoid a repeat of what happened in the Soviet Union and Japan.
- Nuclear energy causes serious environmental contamination and human rights violations
Nuclear power plants produce various levels of nuclear waste as long as they continue to operate. Despite the fact that high-level radioactive waste needs to be managed deep underground for more than 100,000 years, the final waste disposal site has not been decided upon in Japan, nor in many other countries. Even when the waste is disposed of deep underground, future environmental pollution is inevitable.
Environmental contamination and human rights violations also continue to occur in the process of mining uranium, used as a fuel.
Nuclear power plants are built not in the cities which consume much of the electricity, but in sparsely populated areas away from cities. The areas which suffered most from the nuclear disaster in Japan was not Tokyo, where the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was sending electricity, but Fukushima and its surrounding areas, where the electricity was not used. Workers who are directly engaged in operations and inspections are also always exposed to health risks. In this sense, nuclear energy can be called a symbol of great social disparity and injustice.
- Nuclear energy cannot be used to combat climate change.
As mentioned above, making nuclear energy a climate change measure is against the ‘do no significant harm’ (DNSH) principle of the EU Taxonomy.
At the same time, nuclear power plants are prone to accidents and trouble, are expensive, and are unstable. In recent years, there have been a number of reports showing that nuclear power plants are vulnerable to climate change. For example, due to extreme weather events, there are cases in which water used to cool the reactor core cannot be extracted due to rising water temperatures, forcing nuclear power plants to shut down, and there is an increased risk of flooding of nuclear power plants along coastal areas.
The severity of the damage caused by disasters at large-scale nuclear power plants is clear from the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. At the same time, there are also problems with small modular reactors that cannot be resolved. Continued use of nuclear power will encourage a social structure that consumes large amounts of electricity, and the EU will lose the opportunity to make energy and society sustainable.
For these reasons, we strongly urge that nuclear energy not be included in the EU taxonomy.
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Nuclear energy that is neither "sustainable" nor "green"
should not be included in the EU taxonomy
Contact:
Friends of the Earth Japan
1-21-9 Komone Itabashi-ku Tokyo 173-0037
TEL: (+81) 3-6909-5983 FAX: (+81) 3-6909-5986
e-mail: info@foejapan.org
Signatories (261 organizations)
Friends of the Earth Japan
Kiko Network
Peace Boat
Citizens' Nuclear Information Center
Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies
The Citizen’s Alliance Stop Polluting the Ocean!
Fridays For Future Sendai
Fridays For Future Hiroshima
Fridays For Future Dazaifu
350.org Japan
The Liaison Committee for Organizations of Victims of the Nuclear Disaster
No Nukes Asia Forum Japan
Radioactivity Monitoring Center for Citizen
Citizens Against Fukushima Aging Nuclear Power Plants
The Federation of Promotion of Zero-Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy
Shikagenpatuwohaironisosyogenkokudan
Becquerelfree Hokkaido
No nukes! yamaguchi network
Sayonara Genkai Nuclear Plant Kurume
Protect Our Winters Japan
YAMANOVA
Yamada Kensetsu
Hokkaido Electric Power Company Shareholders' Association Against Nuclear Power
Womens democratic club/femin
Hokkaido Green Fund
Japan Association of Environment and Society for the 21st Century
No-Coal-Kushiro,Hokkaido,Japan,
Greencoop-okayama
Sodegaura simin ga nozomu seisaku kenkyukai
Sayonara Nukes Chiba
Icihara Kenpo wo Ikasu Kai
Sayonara Nukes Mitaka Action
Green People's Power
Ohihasama network Kurashiki
Peace and Autonomy Plaza
Association of the 2nd Generation of A-bomb Survivors in Yamaguchi
Catholic Sapporo Diocese Justice and Peace Council
No Nukes Asia Actions
Transition Town Fuchu
Stop Nuclear Power Plants, Toukatsunokai, Japan
General Incorporated Association GQ Power
Citizens' Group to Monitor Nuclear Regulation Japan
Echo-Echanges ONG France-Japon
No Coal Yokosuka
Group for Civil Autonomy
Citizens' Group to Monitor Reuse of Metals from Nuclear Reactors
NoNukes! Noniyukukai
Citizens Environmental Foundation (CEF)
Hibaku Iryo wo Kangaeru Kai Kagoshima
Hakaru-Sapporo Citizens' Station for Measuring Radioactivity in Sapporo
Chibachuourinnkaibu taikikannkyo wo kanngaerukai
No Nukes Hiroba in front of Kyushu Electric Power
Nipponzan Myohoji Buddha Sangha
Save the Earth! Action 97
Nuclear power generation zero-Ikoma
ENAGA no kai
Erasmus Institute of Peace Studies
Kobe International Christ Church
Kobe International Sustaining Organization
Workers’ Executive Committee For Movements Against Nuclear Power Generation
Denryoku Kaikaku Project
Kanagawa's Association of Preserving Peaceful Constitution
Shinkuukouhanntai Higashinadakujuuminnokai
Sayonara Nukes Network in Nara
Food Policy Center - Vision21
Sayonara Nukes in Hokukatsu
The Tomakomai citizens meeting of abandoning nuclear power and promoting natural energy
No Nukes, join in Western Janan/Madam Meeting
NPO Edogawa Citizen's network for Climate Changes (ECCC)
Crossroads Cafe Kamakura
Fukushima Network on Radioactive Waste Incineration
Zenko Kandenmae Project
Palestine Solidarity in Sapporo
NPO Kyushu Renewable Energy Suishin Network
De-nuclear power plant Oita network
Shinshu Izokukai Hiroshima
Fukushima Support Project Ibaraki
PV-Net Hodogaya
Anti-war senior group kyoto
311 wo Wasurenai in Shizuoka
Shien koryu "Nijikko"
Oiso Energy shift Japan
Ooma to Watashitachi Mirai ni Tsunagarukai
Shimin no Hiroba
Godo Shuppan
Fair Trade & Eco Shop Ozone
Senior･workers-coop･sendai
Live-in-Now Group
Power-Shift Fukuoka
JUSHIMATSU
Higasikukara gennkaigennpatu no hairo wo kanngaerukai
Kodaira solar
No Nukes Shinagawa
Tokorozawa People’s Solar Power Association
Agri-watcher club
No Nukes! Kansai Electric stockholders' group
People's Institute of Environment
People's Action Against The Genkai Mox Project
NRA lunch break protest every Wednesday
Datsu Hibaku Jitsugen Net
Machida Citizen's Network
Hakaru wakaru Hiroba (Hachioji Citizens Radioactivity Measurement Room)
Group Mirai
The Voice of Gifu Citizens for saving Peace, Human rights and Environment
Hanedakuko Zobin Mondai wo Kangaeru Kai
Sayonara Genpatsu Gifu
Hokkaido Active Citizen's Association of Science
Wakasa no Genpatsu wo Kangaeru Kai
Tokyo seikatsusha network
Citizens Against Fukushima Aging Nuclear Power Plants
350 Shizuoka
Uchira Komattennen @ Kyoto
Citizen volunteers who promote dialogue
No more Nankin Nagoya
Fukushima wo omou Jikkoiinkai
Sayonara Genpatsu Düsseldorf e.V. (SGD)
Akatsuka Narimasu 9jo no Kai
Stop Nuclear Waste Campaign Kansai
No war no genpatsu Fukuoka
Kodaira Kankyo no Kai
The Community of Yamaguchi-city people to accomplish the Constitution of Japan
Solidarity Labor Union in Yamaguchi
Asia Wide Campaign-Japan in Yamaguchi
No Nukes citizens group in Hiroshima
Anti-Nuclear Power Action in Kagawa
Nuclear Accident Evacuees Association in Okinawa
Tomeyou genpatsu kansai network
Zenrokyo tahshokusha union
Kitaku shiminhatsuden syoiinkai
Seikatsusha Network at Nakano
Neyagawa citizens party for Renewable Energy
Sayonara Nukes Fukui Network
Citizen association Tama
Ome civil alliance for peace and constitutionalism
Antiwar-tigers-hyogo
Datsu Genpatsu!Itoshima Network
Sayonara Nukes Tokorozawa Liaison
Fukushima Genpatsu Saiban wo Sasaeru Kai Tokorozawa
We'd Like to Hand the Better Future to Children / Osaka-no-Kai
Agenda Project
Niigata Citizens Forum for No-Nukes Society
Friday Hachioji Demonstration March against Nuclear Power
Get together for peace
Sayonara Nukes Belgium
Greens Japan
Nuclear-free Japan
Datsugenpatsunohi Jikko Iinkai
Kita-ku Citizens' Group Against the Release of Radioactive Contaminated Water
Ueda Citizens’ Energy
Ponte fra Italia e Giappone - TomoAmici
JAN (Japanese Against Nuclear) UK
Tanba jiyu gakko
Aizu Radiation Information Center
Fukushima Action Project
Transition Town Kawanishi
Hokkaido Women's Group Aiming to End Nuclear Power
Yosomono-Net Francz
No Nuke Wastes! Civil Network in Gifu
Kyoto Stop Nuclear Generation Plaintiffs’ Group
Osaka Citizens Against the Mihama,Oi and Takahama Nuclear Power Plants (Mihama no Kai)
Sendai Nuclear Power Plant 30 kilos area inhabitants network
10,000 People for the Future of Energy in Hokkaido
Thanks & Dream, The Great East Japan Earthquake & Nuclear Disaster Evacuees Association
Kawasaki Citizens Against Nuclear Power
Higashimurayama Energy
Citizens' Group on Nuclear Dangers Takarazuka
Nagano City Environmental Protection Association
Peace Forum Shonan
ATSUGI SHIMIN HATSUDENSHO
NPO genkiryoku hatsudensho
Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft Dortmund
Sayonara Nukes Duesseldorf
Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes
Green Osaka
Montréal KIZUNA
Sayonara Nukes Berlin
Stichting Dialogue Netherlands-Japan-Indonesia
Iwate Committee to protect the Sanriku Sea from Radiation
Green New Deal for Japan
Children's Trial Against Radiation Exposure
No Nukes Miyagi Kaze no Kai
No Nukes Kobe
Minnano housyasen sokuteisitu tetoteto
Citizens' Group for Nature and Future in Miyazaki
A group of “Goodbye Nuclear” Sticker
Nipponzan Myohoji Narita Dojo
Anti-Nuclear Local Government Lawmakers and Citizens' League
Peace Making Network of Interfaith
Citizen network in western Chiba to support victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake
Seisho Coalition with the Children of Fukushima
National Network to Stop Restarting
Citizens' Group Considering Nuclear and Climate Crisis in Komae
Seikatsu Club consumers cooperative Kanagawa
Fukushima Childrens' Fund
Citizens' Network on Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Shizuoka
Nuclear Phase-out TEPCO Shareholders Movement
Chernobyl Children's Fund, Japan
NPO Kirakira Citizens's joint Power Plant
Okinawa Kuminosato
The Tent Plaza in front of METI
Associate Energy Co.
Sayounara kasiwazakikariwagenpatu purojekuto
Wind of Citizens toward Uniting for Peace
ECOMESSE NPO for environmentally conscious city development
Citizens' Conference in Sendai for No Nukes
Goodbye Nukes Shikoku Network
XRShikoku
Shimin no iken 30 no kai Tokyo
Shonanhamakusaikuseikai
Group of Concerned Scientists and Engineers Calling for the Closure of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
The Takagi Fund for Citizen Science
YWCA of JAPAN
Setagaya Energy for All
Hachiouji people's support for Fukushima children
NPO koganei shimin hatuden
Seikatsuclub(shiga) COOP
Nuclear Disaster Information Center
OUR Energy
43 hiroba
TEPCO Shareholder Derivative Suit
Genpatsu no Haishi wo Motomeru Kai
Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative gunma
AWC-Japan
Peoples' power network
Environment Watch TOKYO
Plaintiffs' Association for the Lawsuit against The Nuclear Reactor Suppliers
Musashino civil demonstration for nonukes and peace
Network for Human Rights of Disaster Evacuees
Transition town koganei
Citizens' Energy in Tottori
Citizens' Group for Future of Energy in Tottori
Liaison for Food Safety
Rietdekker Sakurai
Citizens Green Kochi
Tsuki Ikkai Genpatsu Eigasai
AWC-Kyoto
Group not to forget FUKUSHIMA
People21
Research Forum on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
Nippon Kirisutokyokai Hokkaidonakakai Yasukuni Shakaimondai Iinkai
Takagi School
Machida Citizen's Initiative on Nuclear Accidents
Hiroshima Network to Stop Kaminoseki Nuclear Plant
Itabashi's network aiming to eliminate nuclear power
Junkan Worker’s CLub
People Thinking of Local Autonomy for No-Nukes Hokkaido
Mekong Watch
The Forum on Shrinking Society
Miyagi Kinnyou Demo no Kai
350 Chushikoku Network
Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Communication Center
NGO Climate Crisis Action Fujisawa
Fujisawa econet
NPO Mitaka Shimin Kyodo Hatsuden
I Women's Conference Hiroshima Branch
Ichimoku
I Women's Conference Fukuyama
Higashi Yamato Citizen' Group on Energy
Group Ten Thousand Plaintiffs for the Lawsuit to Stop the Nuclear Fuel Cycle
IITATE Power Co.LTD
Citizen network hokkido
