Nuclear Power Paves the Only Viable Path Forward on Climate Change

Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) / Nuclear Power - Economics, Design, & Industry

Date posted: 09/06/16

James Hansen, et al., opines that to solve the climate problem, policy must be based on facts and not prejudice. Alongside renewables, Nuclear will make the difference between the world missing crucial climate targets or achieving them. The authors have dedicated their scientific careers to understand the processes and impacts of climate change, variously studying ocean systems, tropical cyclones, ice sheets and ecosystems as well as impacts on human societies. They have used both climate models and geological records of past climates to better understand lessons from warmer periods in the Earth history and investigate future scenarios. They have become so concerned about the slow response by humanity to this challenge that they have decided they must clearly set out what they see as the only viable path forward. As scientists they do not take advocacy positions lightly, but they have concluded that the magnitude of climate change now presents an unprecedented moral challenge that compels them to speak out. To avoid the worst effects of climate change, including continued sea level rise, the total loss of Arctic sea ice and devastating effects on human societies and natural ecosystems alike, rapid global decarbonization is needed. The voluntary measures put on the table at Paris by over 100 nations are a welcome step, but unless there are strong measures to reduce emissions beyond 2030, global emissions would remain at a high level, practically guaranteeing that young people inherit a climate running out of their control. A new and intensified approach is clearly needed. Everyone agrees that the most urgent component of decarbonization is a move towards the future with clean energy, and clean electricity in particular....nuclear power to serve as baseload with renewables as their selection makes sense, both economically and environmentally, but with natural gas only a bridge to the future.