Guardian Unlimited Politics | Special Reports | Green party challenges 'push' to nuclear power

Matthew Tempest, political correspondent
Tuesday February 28, 2006


The Green party today published a rebuttal of the case for a new generation of nuclear power stations, as the deadline loomed for the government's energy review.
The party fears the official review - due back in July - will sanction a recommencement of the nuclear power, and claims that energy reduction and investment in renewables will do more for carbon emission reduction than going nuclear.

Caroline Lucas, MEP and principal speaker for the Greens, said: "Tony Blair is determined to push this country down the nuclear route, based on two arguments: guaranteeing affordable energy supply, and reducing carbon emissions.


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"The alternative energy review proves what anti-nuclear campaigners have long suspected - that, even using these criteria, nuclear power is the inferior choice.
"It shows that a twin-pronged investment in renewable alternatives and energy efficiency and conservation measures will not only deliver greater emissions reductions than nuclear power, it will deliver them more cheaply, and all without the huge safety risks inherent in the nuclear option."

The party also claims that going down the nuclear route will lead to a "huge hike" in energy bills to subsidise the privatised nuclear energy companies.

The "alternative energy review" calls for a measure of energy saving measures, such as better home insulation, expansion of renewable energy such as wind, and calls on manufacturers to give customers electricity vouchers to the value of the amount of power used when applications are left on standby - something the DTI calculates accounts for 6% of UK domestic electricity.

The party's other principal speaker, Keith Taylor, claimed the government's review, under energy minister Malcolm Wicks, was a ploy to camouflage a decision that had already been taken.

He said: "The DTI's energy review is a token effort, aimed at legitimising a pre-determined decision to commission a new generation of nuclear power stations.

"This report introduces some radical yet practical steps to combat emissions without expensive investment in unsustainable, uneconomic and unsafe nuclear power." The Green party's report also calls for:

· A demand reduction obligation. This would extend the current energy efficiency commitment to cover the commercial, industrial and public administration sectors;

· Expansion of the renewables obligation. Under this, a range of measures is evaluated, specifying how much carbon and investment capital would be saved, with a net saving economically, compared the cost of the nuclear option.

Meanwhile, in Downing Street today the prime minister was hosting a meeting with climate change campaigners over European carbon emissions.

On the agenda is extending the EU emissions trading scheme beyond 2012.

Opening the meeting, Mr Blair conceded there was "a long way to go" in tackling the key issues. But the way forward was now "somewhat clearer", he added.

He told the meeting that it would take a combination of international, European and individual action to make a difference.

In a letter to the umbrella group Stop Climate Chaos, the PM said: "For we now all recognise the vital role of technology in finding a sustainable solution to climate change which is one where cutting carbon emissions goes hand in hand with continued prosperity.

"This needs a new understanding of the economic, technological and business opportunities from a low carbon, energy efficient path."

But he adds; "So I understand frustrations about the seemingly slow progress in rising to the threat to our planet and our children.

"At the moment, the UK accounts for something like 2% of greenhouse gases. By 2020 as the world economy continues to grow, this proportion will have fallen to 1.5%.

"Even the most extreme and unrealistic action taken in the UK will have only a tiny impact on global climate change. Even more crucially, it would do nothing to protect us from its worst effects.

"I am afraid that, in this case, being virtuous alone will not bring much reward."





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