Environment ministers warn against nuclear power as a solution to the climate crisis

Minister of the Environment Helen Bjørnøy and Environment Ministers of Austria, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Latvia and Luxembourg met in Vienna today to warn against the promotion of nuclear power as a solution to the climate crisis.

Ministers from Latvia, Germany, Italy, Austria, Ireland, Norway and Luxembourg.
Photo: MD

In a Joint Statement, Ministers emphasize the dangers of nuclear accidents and pollution, unsolved waste problems, and the risk of proliferation of nuclear weapon materials associated with nuclear power. 

- If more countries start to rely more heavily on nuclear power, these challenges will become more serious. Hence, nuclear power is not a sustainable solution to the challenges of climate change, Bjørnøy says.

The Ministers emphasize that the dangers of nuclear power are transboundary by nature.

- Consequently, a great responsibility rests on the countries that want to use nuclear power to solve the challenges of climate change, Bjørnøy underlines.

The Ministers also discussed the need for better information about nuclear plants and activities and the need for consultations with neighbouring countries regarding decisions that can have transboundary effects.

- Even though certain kinds of information has to be withheld for security reasons, I have the impression that this argument has often been used to hold back information that countries need to assess risks. More transparency is also important for the public debate on the future role of nuclear power, Bjørnøy emphasizes.

The Ministers also discussed alternatives to nuclear power in the battle against climate change, of which energy efficiency and renewable energy are the most important.

- To avoid dangerous climate change we need drastic reductions of the fast increasing global greenhouse gas emissions. And this has to be implemented quickly. More efficient production and use of energy together with goals to increase the use of renewable energy are the most important measures. However, to reach our goal of  limiting global warming to maximum 2° C, I am convinced that we also need to focus heavily on carbon capture and storage from energy production from fossil fuels such as coal and gas. It is also important to minimize  emissions associated with deforestation in the developing world, Bjørnøy underlines.

- In my opinion, the greatest problem with nuclear energy is the risk of proliferation of nuclear weapons. In this context, plants for enrichment of uranium and reprocessing of used nuclear fuel, e.g. in Sellafield, constitute the greatest danger. I am happy that the Ministerial Statement warns against the increasing risk of nuclear  proliferation. In this connection, I will once more urge the need for immediate phasing out of the reprocessing activities in e.g. Sellafield.

• Ministeral Statement (pdf)