Download Current Controversies - Nuclear Energy

Contents
Foreword
Introduction
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16
Chapter 1: Do the Benefits of Nuclear
Power Outweigh the Risks?
Chapter Preface
Yes: The Benefits of Nuclear Power
Outweigh the Risks
Nuclear Power Has Many Advantages
and Few Risks
Bernard L. Cohen
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26
Nuclear power has many important advantages over fossil fuels, the most important of which is that it is free of
such environmental problems as air pollution, acid rain,
land degradation, oil spills, and global warming. In addition, nuclear power provides a limitless supply of fuel,
and the risk of accidents or nuclear proliferation from
nuclear power plants is very small.
Nuclear Energy Gains Bipartisan Support
as Global Warming Worsens
Patrick Moore
34
Environmentalists are beginning to recognize that nuclear
energy has multiple environmental benefits. The modern
nuclear industry has a stellar safety record and is able to
deliver large amounts of reliable energy without producing air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions, resulting
in popular and political support for it as an alternative to
fossil fuels.
Nuclear Energy Is an Integral Part of a
Practical Climate Change Solution
David Kalson
37
Nuclear energy must be one of the weapons used to battle
global warming. Unlike other technologies such as clean
coal and smart grids, which will not be developed until
sometime in the future, nuclear energy is available now.
Date: June 4, 2010
Comp Specialist: adarga
Edit session: 650
No: The Benefits of Nuclear Power Do Not
Outweigh the Risks
Nuclear Energy Disasters Are Inevitable
Rose Kivi
41
The history of nuclear power includes a number of serious disasters, including Three Mile Island, Chernobyl,
and others. These events have harmed humans, animals,
and the environment and may have caused long-term effects that cannot be measured. Since nuclear accidents
often happen because of human errors, there is reason
for great concern about this source of energy.
Nuclear Energy Is Costly, Dangerous,
and Ineffective
Physicians for Social Responsibility
47
Contrary to the claims of the nuclear industry, nuclear
energy is a dirty, dangerous, and expensive form of energy. Nuclear plants produce tons of highly radioactive
wastes; uranium mining contaminates the environment
and is harmful to the health of many indigenous peoples;
and the history of nuclear power includes many disasters
and near disasters.
The Threat of Nuclear Accidents Persists
Rebecca Harms
54
Recent incidents in Germany and Japan have reminded
us that nuclear power is still risky. Although nuclear
power advocates are promoting nuclear energy as a solution to climate change, the risk of a core meltdown, the
problem of radioactive nuclear wastes, and the ability for
nuclear-powered countries to build a nuclear bomb provide strong arguments against the use of nuclear power.
Chapter 2: Is Nuclear Energy Safe for
Humans and the Environment?
Chapter Preface
Yes: Nuclear Energy Is Safe for Humans
and the Environment
Nuclear Power Reactors Are One of the
Safest Ways to Produce Electricity
World Nuclear Association
59
63
The nuclear power industry has been extremely successful at avoiding major accidents at nuclear reactor sites.
During twelve thousand reactor-years of commercial operation in thirty-two countries, there have been only two
major accidents—Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Neither of these accidents caused large numbers of deaths,
and the nuclear industry has since adopted more safety
measures.
Nuclear Energy Has Been Used Safely
for Decades
American Energy Independence
73
Nuclear energy technology has operated safely around
the world for many years, proving that it is safe and that
nuclear wastes are a recyclable resource. Nuclear energy
is the only energy technology that can provide reliable,
large-scale electricity without producing carbon dioxide
emissions. Today, the main problem with nuclear energy
is how to gain public and political acceptance for it.
Nuclear Energy Risks Are Inconsequential
Bernard L. Cohen
85
The main risks of nuclear power involve radiation, which
can be released in a variety of ways—during normal
plant operation, as a result of accidents at nuclear plants
or while transporting radioactive materials, or from
nuclear wastes that leak from confinement systems. All of
these radiation risks, however, are quite low.
No: Nuclear Energy Is Not Safe for Humans
and the Environment
Nuclear Power Plants Greatly Increase
Cancer Rates
Samuel S. Epstein
91
Most people know about the danger of nuclear plant accidents, but what many people do not know is that
nuclear reactors release a small amount of radioactive
chemicals into the air and water every day during routine plant operation. Nuclear advocates claim these releases are harmless, but evidence garnered by independent researchers shows high cancer rates among people
living near nuclear reactors.
Date: June 4, 2010
Comp Specialist: adarga
Edit session: 651
Human Fallibility Results in
Nuclear Accidents
Robert Kyriakides
96
Nuclear power is safe in theory, but because human beings are involved, accidents are inevitable. Two recent
events involving the release of radioactive material demonstrate this truth. Humans need energy, but why risk
nuclear accidents when far less risky ways to generate
electricity exist?
Nuclear Energy Has Many Fatal Flaws
Public Citizen
99
Nuclear power is being championed as a future energy
source, but nuclear energy still poses many problems and
dangers. In fact, most public interest and environmental
groups adamantly oppose nuclear power because it creates dangerous radioactive waste that threatens human
health, poses safety and environmental problems, increases the risk of nuclear proliferation, and is too slow
and expensive to help with climate change.
Nuclear Energy Wastes Resources
and Threatens Health and Safety
Sherwood Ross
109
Although nuclear power is being touted as a clean energy
source, in reality it is dirty and unsafe. Large quantities
of fossil fuels are burned to mine and refine the uranium
fuel; nuclear plants are regularly allowed to vent radioactive gases into the environment; and tons of radioactive
waste is produced, which will inevitably pollute the environment and human food chains, increasing cancer rates.
Meanwhile, a nuclear plant accident or terrorist strike
could kill thousands of people.
Chapter 3: Is Nuclear Energy a Good
Solution to Climate Change?
Chapter Preface
Yes: Nuclear Energy Is a Good Solution
to Climate Change
Only Nuclear Can Provide All the Green
Energy We Need
Max Schulz
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117
The accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in
Pennsylvania stopped the growth of nuclear power in
America for thirty years, but the approach of climate
change requires that this energy source be reconsidered.
Nuclear power is the only developed energy technology
that can safely produce large amounts of electricity without releasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Nuclear Is America’s Best Hope for
Affordable Green Energy
Lamar Alexander
120
The obvious solution to the problem of global warming
is nuclear energy—already the nation’s best source of
cheap, reliable, and clean energy. If the country builds
just one hundred new nuclear power plants during the
next twenty years, and combines nuclear energy with renewables, hydroelectric, natural gas, and electric cars, we
could have abundant, cheap, and clean energy.
We Must Consider Nuclear Energy as Part
of Our Climate Change Solution
Eileen Claussen
126
Climate change is such a serious problem that nuclear
energy must be one of the options considered for meeting future electricity needs. It not only produces zero
carbon emissions, but also already produces 15 percent
of electricity used worldwide. This requires addressing
some of nuclear power’s challenges, however, including
concerns about nuclear waste, reprocessing, nuclear proliferation, and cost.
No: Nuclear Energy Is Not a Good Solution
to Climate Change
Nuclear Power Cannot Solve Climate Change
Sharon Squassoni
135
Many commentators predict a nuclear renaissance, but
the reality is that nuclear energy is unlikely to provide a
growing part of global electricity generation without major policy changes and massive government support. The
facts of nuclear power are that it would not provide energy independence; new nuclear plants could not be built
fast or cheaply enough to stop climate change; and concerns about safety, nuclear proliferation, and nuclear
wastes remain unanswered.
Date: June 4, 2010
Comp Specialist: adarga
Edit session: 651
Nuclear Energy Costs Could Hinder Climate
Change Solutions
Union of Concerned Scientists
144
Nuclear power could play a role in fighting climate
change, but only if major economic, safety, security, and
waste disposal problems are resolved. Perhaps the biggest
obstacles for nuclear energy are high construction costs
and long construction periods and the fact that the
nuclear industry would require massive taxpayer financing—making nuclear a very expensive option for producing low-carbon electricity.
Nuclear Energy Is Not Green Energy
Energy Justice Network
153
Nuclear power is not a clean source of energy. Every step
in the process of making electricity from nuclear power
is highly polluting—from mining the uranium fuel, to
the release of radioactive water and air pollutants during
regular plant operations, to the use of huge amounts of
water used for cooling reactors, to the production of
highly radioactive wastes.
Nuclear Energy Creates Hazards and Fails
to Address Climate Change
Greenpeace International
159
Nuclear power is a dangerous solution to climate change
because its environmental, social, security, and proliferation problems have never been solved despite a halfcentury of operation. In addition, nuclear plants are expensive and could not be built in time to have any
significant effect on global warming. There is a much
quicker and more cost-effective path to a clean energy
future—renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
Chapter 4: What Is the Future
of Nuclear Energy?
Chapter Preface
A Nuclear Energy Comeback Faces
Challenges in America
Paul Davidson
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175
No new nuclear power plants have been built in the
United States since the Three Mile Island accident thirty
years ago, but today, because of the public concern about
global warming, the nuclear industry is poised for a
comeback. Several companies have taken steps to build
up to eight new generation nuclear plants by 2020, and if
this initial wave goes well, other nuclear projects could
follow.
Nuclear Energy Use Must Be Increased
to Reduce Carbon Emissions
MIT Energy Initiative
183
A 2003 study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the future of nuclear power concluded that the
importance of reducing climate change justified a reevaluation of the role of nuclear energy. Although the
study recommended that a few nuclear plants be built to
demonstrate the advantages of nuclear power, no new
nuclear plants have since been built. If more is not done
soon to promote nuclear power, it will soon be eliminated as a practical and large-scale option for mitigating
climate change.
Nuclear Energy Expansion Is Unrealistic
Charles D. Ferguson
187
Advocates for nuclear power overestimate its ability to
reduce global warming and underestimate the dangers of
nuclear energy. The truth is that to contribute significantly to global warming, the nuclear industry would
have to grow more rapidly than is realistically possible;
the industry will be challenged to simply replace existing
nuclear plants.
Nuclear Power’s Multiple Limitations
Will Constrain Its Future Growth
Joseph Romm
195
Nuclear power has garnered interest lately because it is a
low-carbon, reliable source of electricity. However,
nuclear power has a number of problems that will delay
or prevent its growth—high costs, production bottlenecks, long construction times, and high electricity prices.
The world should focus instead on other solutions, such
as wind, geothermal, and solar power.
Date: June 4, 2010
Comp Specialist: adarga
Edit session: 651
The Future Viability of Nuclear Energy
Is Unclear
Lisbeth Gronlund, David Lochbaum, and
Edwin Lyman
206
Global warming requires low greenhouse gas–emitting
energy sources such as nuclear power, but an expansion
of nuclear power would increase human safety and security risks, including the possibility of nuclear accidents,
terrorist attacks, and the spread of nuclear weapons.
Minimizing these risks is essential, and the United States
should take steps to make nuclear power safer, improve
the security of reactors against sabotage, minimize the
risk of nuclear proliferation, and deal with radioactive
waste.
National Nuclear Energy Oversight
and International Safety Standards Are
Essential for Its Expansion
Allison Macfarlane, James Asselstine, and
John Ahearne
210
To address the concerns raised by nuclear energy and to
facilitate its expansion, the United States should ensure
that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission provides
robust oversight of the nuclear industry and should promote the development of international safety and nonproliferation standards, while continuing to reduce the
number of nuclear weapons worldwide.
Organizations to Contact
Bibliography
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Index
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