NUCLEAR ENERGY AND GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY

Advocates of nuclear power argue that it is a proven technology that can provide cheap and reliable energy without contributing to climate change. Opponents disagree and argue that it is better to invest in conservation and alternative energy sources given the pollution, risks and costs associated with the mining, storage, shipping and disposal of radioactive fuels and waste. Both positions should be examined carefully. The need for environmental sustainability requires a paradigm shift from unsustainable quantitative growth to sustainable qualitative development. As a result the criteria for evaluating competing energy technologies should be widened to include not only economic and environmental costs and benefits, but also the extent to which various options support the transition to a sustainable economy. Factors supporting sustainability include: protecting ecosystems, reducing pollution, limiting consumption, conservation, using renewable energies and resources, recycling, decentralized and distributed production, smaller and smarter products, and improved networking.