European Climate Commission: Nuclear and 'Made in Europe' to reduce carbon emissions
During his visit to Paris, European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra announced that the EU is betting on nuclear power and local production to accelerate decarbonization, while promising enhanced monitoring through AI and satellite data.
In less than 48 hours of meetings in Paris, European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra affirmed that Europe will place nuclear power and local production at the heart of its strategy to reduce carbon emissions. This orientation, announced during his visit to Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday, is part of an industrial sovereignty dynamic aimed at countering Chinese industry competition, as highlighted in the Le Monde Planète report published on October 12, 2026.
Made in Europe plan: nuclear and industrial priorities
The 'Made in Europe' device aims to support industrial sectors capable of competing with Chinese imports, notably in the low-carbon energy sector. By prioritizing the construction of new reactors and the modernization of existing facilities, the Union wants to ensure stable production capacity while limiting fossil fuel imports. This orientation is part of the Green Deal, where each additional gigawatt of nuclear power could avoid several million tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
The commissioner stressed that financial support would be conditional on strict safety and sustainability criteria, including nuclear fuel recycling and radioactive waste reduction. The goal is to create an autonomous European ecosystem capable of providing both low-carbon electricity and cutting-edge technologies for smart grids.
Scientific explanation of the low carbon impact of nuclear power
The phenomenon that makes nuclear power particularly effective in reducing CO₂ emissions lies in the fission of uranium or plutonium atoms. When a heavy nucleus splits, it releases a large amount of heat energy that powers electricity-generating turbines. Unlike coal or gas-fired power plants, nuclear power production does not involve the combustion of fossil fuels, eliminating direct CO₂ emissions during production. The only emissions associated with the fuel cycle come from uranium mining, transport, and enrichment, which remain significantly lower than those of the traditional thermal sector.
Moreover, the high energy density of nuclear fuel means that the amount of raw material needed to produce one gigawatt-hour is very small, reducing the environmental impact of mining. This characteristic explains why, at equal capacity, nuclear power can reduce carbon emissions by several tens of percent compared to fossil fuels.
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