EU climate‑policy commissioner Wopke Hoekstra has publicly advocated for a greater role for nuclear energy within the European Union. In an interview with “Welt am Sonntag” he said, “We will need nuclear power”. He added that nuclear energy must be operated safely and securely, but is essential for decades to come.
Hoekstra argues that electrifying as many sectors of the economy as possible is a key strategy to reinforce the EU’s economic strength and resilience. “We must combine climate protection, competitiveness and independence, and electrification works for all three” he told the newspaper. The former Dutch finance and foreign minister highlighted a portfolio that includes more nuclear, more renewables and more batteries: “It helps the climate, but it also ultimately lowers end‑user energy prices”.
The planned rollout of a pan‑European emissions‑trading system for transport and buildings is, according to Hoekstra, an important part of this package. The original launch of “ETS2” was scheduled for 2027, but was postponed by one year at the behest of Eastern European states worried about high petrol, gas and heating‑oil prices. He remains confident that ETS2 will be politically feasible and will be introduced as “the incentive for electrification”. Hoekstra noted that electrification is widely recognised by industry across all sectors-even by those that have been more reluctant-as a “no‑regret” strategy.
