Nuclear moves up the agenda

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In recent weeks there has been a remarkable resurgence of interest in nuclear energy, even in the highest quarters, primarily as a major tool in the battle against global climate change. In recent weeks there has been a remarkable resurgence of interest in nuclear energy, even in the highest quarters, primarily as a major tool in the battle against global climate change. Destructive weather events such as Hurricane Isabel will become more common with global warming - nuclear is the most effective way to arrest climate change The trend began on 24 May with an article in the Independent by Professor James Lovelock, the eminent scientist and environmentalist and founder of the Gaia hypothesis, under the headline 'Nuclear power is the only green solution'. The issue's front-page headline was even more emphatic: 'Only nuclear power can halt global warming'. Professor Lovelock's view is that the dangers of global climate change are so serious, and such a threat to civilisation, it is imperative to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for energy. Faced with an urgent problem, and little time to develop sufficient renewable sources, we must therefore turn to the "only one immediately available source [that] does not cause global warming and that is nuclear energy." He regards the opposition to nuclear energy, "based on irrational fear fed by Hollywood style fiction, the Green lobby and the media", as unjustified and misplaced, and urged his friends in the Green movement to "drop their wrongheaded objection to nuclear energy." He concluded with the dire warning: "We have no time to experiment with visionary energy sources; civilisation is in imminent danger and has to use nuclear - the one safe, available, energy source - now or suffer the pain soon to be inflicted by our outraged planet." Predictably, Professor Lovelock's views were attacked by the Green lobby who see global warming or nuclear energy as a false choice, and maintain that renewables and energy efficiency can deliver a low carbon future without the need for nuclear energy. However, in the media debate that followed the article, there was a good deal of support for Professor Lovelock. In The Times on 4 June Simon Jenkins, the prominent columnist, in a long piece on fuel protests echoed Lovelock when he wrote that, "If the threat [of global warming] is real we must immediately start building nuclear power stations. Whatever the dangers of nuclear waste disposal, they cannot be as devastating as those attributed to global warming." In the same issue Graham Serjeant, the Financial Editor, highlighted the moves in Asia, China in particular, towards nuclear and contrasted the situation in the west where nuclear development is in decline. His essential message was that "renewable energy is nothing without the atomic option". Similar views were expressed by the Prime Minister in evidence before the Commons Liaison Committee on 6 July when he was questioned about energy policy and the Government's stand on nuclear energy. While defending the Government's targets on renewables, and predicting that they would be met, he nevertheless supported keeping the nuclear option, declaring that he personally had "fought long and hard, both within my party and outside, to make sure that the nuclear option is not closed off �" He went on to say that "you cannot remove it from the agenda if you are serious about the issue of climate change." The Prime Minister made it clear that cost and public concerns about safety were barriers to new development, but appeared ready to engage in debate on the future role of nuclear in due course. He predicted that it would be a question for decision in the next few years, but not immediately. But, as the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology stated in their report on renewable energy published on 14 July, "Overall it seems to us likely that, in parallel with other developments, the Government may have no option but to follow the lead of other countries and accept that, in the words of the White Paper, "new nuclear build might be necessary". With the case for nuclear energy being debated so rigorously and positively, it is essential for NIA and its members to continue to push for those measures - on waste management, decommissioning, and reform to the electricity market - that will enable investment in new nuclear plant, and strengthen their resolve to put the case to the public and the decision makers in an open debate, so that when the time comes for decisions they will go in the right direction.

 

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