CLIMATE CHANGE AND NUCLEAR POWER

No one disputes that Earth's climate is changing or that atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased as a result of human activities. The concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are higher now than at any time during the last 420,000 years.

Overwhelming scientific evidence supports the conclusion that observed changes in the global climate are, in large part, due to human activities and primarily related to fossil fuel consumption patterns. Without urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth will become warmer by 2050 than at any time in the last 10,000 years.

Assuming there is no action to limit greenhouse gas emissions:

• Sea levels could increase by 50cm
• Water availability could decline
• Seasonal rainfall patterns could be severely disrupted
• The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events could increase
• Human health could suffer from a combination of effects

Oxfam March 2006

A majority of people in Britain would accept new nuclear power stations if they helped fight climate change, a poll suggests (some 54% said they would accept new stations being built for this reason, the Mori survey of 1,500 people for the University of East Anglia found). (BBC 17/1/06)

But it doesn´t.

Nuclear power is not carbon emission free. The whole nuclear cycle from uranium mining onwards produces more greenhouse gases than most renewable energy sources with up to 50% more emissions than wind power. Doubling nuclear power in the UK would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% because the electricity sector accounts for a quarter to a third of all carbon emissions (transport and industry account for most of the rest). (CND)

Nuclear power is not a global solution. The world´s 438 nuclear plants contribute just 16% of the world´s electricity needs. Emissions from the electricity sector account for around one third of the world´s carbon emissions. In order for nuclear to constitute a major part of the solution to climate change, the number of reactors would have to increase 10 fold, to match projected increases in energy demand, and even then would be a long way from achieving the 60-80% world wide reductions necessary. (Greenpeace)

Even if the UK replaced all 23 of its reactors, we would only save 10% of our carbon dioxide emissions. This is not good value for money. (Greenpeace)

In reality, nuclear power will fail to deliver significant CO2 cuts, be hugely expensive, create a new target for terrorism, is unreliable and a finite source of energy. (Greenpeace)

Climate change is happening now. A new nuclear power station takes 10 years to build and longer to generate electricity. (CND)