The world's nuclear power industry is hoping that genuine public concern over global warming will translate into new atomic reactor orders for this beleaguered industry. In particular, the industry is seeking to take advantage of different schemes and mechanisms developed in the framework of the international climate negotiations. Under such schemes polluting countries could receive greenhouse emission "credits" for building new nuclear reactors in other countries or be given permission to subsidize new-build domestically with public money. In November of 2000, the "Conference of the Parties 6" (COP6) met in the Hague, Netherlands. On their agenda was a determination of what technologies should be eligible to receive such support schemes. WISE and NIRS jouined forces and campaigned heavily on this issue because we believe only genuinely clean technologies, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency should be eligible to obtain such credits. For many reasons, nuclear power is not the answer to global warming. Indeed, when one considers the entire nuclear fuel chain--as opposed to simply atomic reactor operations--nuclear power is a considerable generator of greenhouse gases. From July 16-27, 2001 Conference of the Parties 6.5 took place in Bonn, Germany. This Conference was a great success, where Nuclear Power was declared out of the Kyoto Protocol!
Here some of the work we did in the years 2000/2001:
70+ organization warn U.S. that nukes in CDM will cost support for Kyoto Protocol. NIRS/WISE Press Release. November 22, 2000. Text of letter.
121 arrested at anti-nuclear demonstration in The Hague. Press release, November 22, 2000
List of 700+ organizations world wide supporting the WISE/NIRS petition against nuclear power and climate change; presented to COP6 President Pronk November 18, 2000
NIRS/WISE-Amsterdam press release on negotiations in The Hague, November 14, 2000
Vice President Al Gore opposes use of nuclear power to address climate change. Press release on Gore's letter to NIRS, November 13, 2000. Text of letter.
ALERT! Act now to affect U.S. position on COP 6 meeting in November 2000.
National Call-In Day on nukes and global warming, October 5, 2000.
WISE/NIRS/Earth Day 2000 petition on nuclear power and global warming. Download, sign, and get your friends and neighbors to sign! Please return to NIRS/WISE by October 31, 2000.
Come to The Hague, Netherlands, November 13, 2000!
Press Release, September 19, 2000 press conference with European leaders, NGOs
