A Green Party Nuclear Energy Policy Fit for the 21st Century - 2022

Nuclear Power Industry

Greens For Nuclear Energy seek to influence the Green movement’s key organizations and institutions to favour nuclear energy. They need every available low carbon power source to combat catastrophic climate change. Their first campaign is to change the Green Party’s policy (England & Wales), which is currently: EN014: Nuclear power, coal and incineration of waste will be phased out

They believe that the increasingly urgent need to deal decisively with our emerging climate crisis makes continued opposition to nuclear energy irrational for environmentalists and reduces our chances of averting a climate catastrophe.

They therefore oppose the early decommissioning of existing nuclear reactors, unless it can be shown that continued use of any given plant is a present threat to human life, the environment or property.

They support the research and development of new advanced nuclear power technologies and the continued use of existing nuclear power plants until each power plant reaches end-of-life.

They are pro-renewables and strongly advocate for their deployment where topography, geography and climate permit, where a positive local environmental case is made and where there is no consequent reliance on the burning of Fossil Fuels.

They therefore respectfully urge our fellow Green Party members to approach the nuclear power debate with an open mind and not fall victim to the ‘easy way out’ of dogmatic, hard-wired anti-nuclear ideology.

Their aim is to advocate for and promote clean, safe, reliable nuclear power within the party until we reach critical mass and succeed in bringing a motion at conference to amend Green Party clause EN014, to adopt nuclear power as part of an ambitious new Green Party clean energy policy that is fit for the 21st Century.

There are a wide variety of opinions on Nuclear Energy in the Green Party. Many members remain strongly ‘anti-nuclear’ and many are simply unsure – not equipped with enough information to feel they can make a decision that they’d be willing to stick their necks out for. An increasing number though are reconsidering their position – most particularly in the context of the sheer magnitude of our Climate Crisis. These are members who recognize the contribution that Nuclear Energy can make – alongside renewables – to rapidly reducing our carbon emissions from not only electricity generation, but across a wide range of sectors.

Some of us are firmly and unequivocally in favour. Some of us say yes – perhaps even through gritted teeth – simply because we recognise that there can be NO compromise to combat climate change. Others are on the fence but becoming simply #NuclearCurious.  

For follow-up reading: 

https://greensfornuclear.energy/a-political-history/

https://greensfornuclear.energy/why-nuclear-energy/

https://greensfornuclear.energy/nuclear-fears/

https://greensfornuclear.energy/increased-capacity/

https://greensfornuclear.energy/physical-footprint-comparison/