Environmental activists are furious that the European Parliament has approved plans to allow gas and nuclear energy investments to be labelled "green".
Nuclear and natural gas projects could now get subsidies and cheaper loans as a result of the European Commission's proposal, which will become law unless 20 of the EU's 27 member states oppose it.
The Telegraph reports that the vote prompted a backlash among campaigners and opposing countries with Austria and Luxembourg vowing to bring legal action in the European Court of Justice against the "greenwashing" programme.
Denmark has also opposed the plan, which has exposed divides between EU members over how to become climate neutral by 2050.
Nuclear energy is free from CO2 emissions, but produces radioactive waste.
Gas produces planet-warming emissions, but some EU states see it as transition fuel in the shift away from dirtier coal.
Investment in new gas infrastructure could make the EU's heavy dependence on Russian gas worse and make more money for Vladimir Putin's war machine.
Nuclear-reliant France and Poland, which is a heavy coal user, were among those backing the new rules, which the commission brought forward in February after more than a year of delay and intense lobbying over the landmark law.
Locking in polluting infrastructure
Green campaigners argue that treating gas as a bridge towards net zero locks in polluting infrastructure for decades to come and warned they would also sue the EU over the plans.
Dawn Summers, president of the GasNaturally trade association, told the Telegraph the European Parliament had "recognised the role of natural gas in building a more independent and resilient energy market in Europe" and that "timely access to finance" was vital so the industry could contribute to decarbonisation.
The UK Government's British Energy Security Strategy unveiled in April set out how the country would accelerate the deployment of wind, new nuclear, solar and hydrogen, whilst supporting the production of domestic oil and gas in the nearer term - which could see 95% of electricity by 2030 being low carbon.