An alliance of European NGOs campaigning for low-carbon energy solutions has called on Belgian politicians to clarify whether or not the Espoo Convention will be applied to additional gas plants that could be built to replace phased-out nuclear units.

In a letter to Belgian energy minister Tinne Van der Straeten, the Brussels-based weCare Alliance said additional thermal capacity is specifically mentioned in the Espoo Convention – which ensures international cooperation in assessing and managing the environmental impact of planned activities – as having a potentially significant impact and “requiring the full application of the convention”.

A spokesman for weCare said some of its members will urge their national authorities to ask Belgium to follow the Espoo procedure for gas plants built to replace nuclear. This would mean environmental impact assessments and public consultations.