Alleviating or institutionalizing greenwashing? – The inclusion of nuclear energy into the EU taxonomy from a narrative discourse perspective

Abstract

Abstract This paper analyses the discourse around the inclusion of nuclear energy into the EU Taxonomy which promises to provide standards for the question if an economic activity is sustainable or not. The idea is to guide financial means into sustainable areas of the economy and accumulate private investments for the transformation of the economy against climate change. In this regard, the question whether nuclear energy is sustainable was heavily debated and fought over. Through the application of a narrative discourse analysis, relying on expert interviews and media articles, this paper finds that the discourse shifted throughout the process. While a general sustainability discussion around the question if the technology nuclear energy is sustainable characterized the early discourse, a shift towards a process related discussion around how nuclear energy found its way into the EU Taxonomy can be observed at a later stage. Furthermore, the discourse was structured by several key events which provided focal points for discussion and influenced the storylines of proponents and opponents of nuclear energy.