Nuclear Power is not a Solution to Climate Change

Nuclear industry is a threat to our health, our environment and human right

10.10.2010 | WECF Campaign

Countries:	International
Donors:	Private Donors
Partners:	International nuclear free network, cooperation with hundreds of organizations and networks as WISE, The Nuclear-Free Future Award, die klima-allianz, Greenpeace, urgewald, Sortir du nucleaire, projekt21 plus, Ecodefense
Issues:	Energy & Climate
Duration:	01/2007 - 12/2013

WECF strictly opposes nuclear power. Nuclear industry is a threat to our health, our environment and human rights - at every step of production. WECF's 100 member organizations in over 40 countries in the EU, neighbor states and Central Asia have come to one common conclusion; nuclear energy is not a solution for climate change. Nuclear industry has lower CO2 emissions than coal, but has higher CO2 emissions then renewables, especially when grey energy is counted.

Our main argument against nuclear energy is the great threat it poses to health, environment, human rights and security. In our work – WECF works on practical projects to improve the health and environment of women and children – we encounter severe health problems and, often, human rights abuse of populations living near uranium mines (Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine). The same is reported from uranium mining areas in other regions of the world. The EU has to import uranium, and has so far not been able to assure that the uranium which it uses has not badly harm local communities around the mines.

Another big problem in the countries where we work is the illegal trade of radioactive material. By continuing to spread nuclear technologies, the access to nuclear weapons capable material becomes easier and the danger of illegal nuclear proliferation dramatically increases. The EU should not promote export of nuclear technology abroad, as it can not guarantee radioactive material will not end up in the hands of the wrong people.

If we go further the production chain to fuel production, to power generation to the unsolved crisis of the storage of waste – every step of the fuel chain contains potential disasters to human and planetary health. In our region, the population living around the Mayak nuclear complex in Chelyabinsk, Russia, continues to suffer from accidents caused in the complex which receives nuclear waste from the European Region (Bulgaria, Hungary). One of our member organizations defends victims of nuclear radiation in the Russian court, but often after years, the victims, badly ill, receive only a few dollars compensation in compensation for lifelong disability.

Knowing the above we wonder about the priorities of the EU in terms of investments for nuclear industry, for example from the 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7): The highest amount of money is spent on nuclear (EURATOM): 2751 million Euro. More than for climate change, energy efficiency and renewable energy. 2350 million Euro are spent on energy (> 50% for renewable energy and energy efficiency) and 1890 million Euro for environment (including climate change).

If these data are correct: How does that fit to the political priority of climate change? And sustainable energy, which for us needs a clear focus on energy saving and efficiency as also decentralized sustainable renewable energy? Does that correspond to the political will of the European citizens? In our opinion the highest amount of money has to go into energy saving and efficiency. That is the sector, which makes Europes energy supply competitive, secure and sustainable.We do not understand why governments still demand that we take the risk of nuclear contamination of our planet.

Nuclear energy causes health problems. Radioactivity even in low doses is a risk for many illnesses like cancer and leukaemia. Even the most “advanced” countries in Europe are not able to guarantee total safe operations of their nuclear powerplants (see recent accidents in Sweden and Germany). A recent epidemiological study in Germany revealed a statistically significant increase of childhood cancer (all malignancies) in youngest children (0 – 4 years) living in the vicinity of commercial nuclear power plants.

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