A number of Irish MEPs have voiced their opposition to an EU proposal to classify nuclear energy investments as sustainable. This is a strange position for people who claim to be concerned about climate change, given that nuclear energy has both the lowest carbon emissions and the best safety record of all available energy sources according to Garrett Greene, Workers’ Party Cabra/Glasnevin.

“If we are serious about creating a zero-carbon economy in Ireland then nuclear energy is the only existing technology which can allow us to completely eliminate fossil fuels.”

“Despite 20 years of campaigning and political posturing on climate change, neither the state nor any arm of the Irish green movement has produced a viable plan for meeting all of Ireland’s energy demand from renewable sources. Quite simply, no such plan exists: At present, we derive less than 9% of our total energy demand from wind and solar power. While massive investment may eventually increase this to as much as 50 or 60%, there is no system either existing or planned which can store the massive amount of energy needed to cover the frequent periods when wind and solar output drop to near zero. The only known sources which can supply these quantities of energy on demand are fossil fuels and nuclear.”

“The Irish and European political class needs to make a choice. Either abandon its claimed commitment to a zero-carbon economy, or drop its opposition to Nuclear energy. Only one of these options gives us any chance of averting a climate disaster.”