096-128UK.qxd:Layout 1
29-04-2010
17:27
Pagina 103
English version
The energy issue and nuclear power
tically like taking 3.5 million cars
Lester Brown, a fierce opponent of
use of nuclear energy? This, too, is
off the road.” The fact is that the
nuclear power speak of it: “One of
commonplace. We import a con-
nuclear power plants, without
the unresolved charges infesting
siderable amount of electric energy
emitting pollution, are the only
from nuclear sources: between 10
by Enrico Bellone
ones capable of competing as to
the coal sector, besides the emission of CO2, is that of ‘what to do’
and 15% of our total requirement.
In a fast-moving global scena-
size, production capacity and conti-
with the ashes, […] in that they
We are consuming more now than
rio, of all the advanced coun-
nuity with the same-sized gas or
contain arsenic, lead, mercury and
we were before the 1987 referen-
tries, Italy is the only nation
coal power plants.
many other toxic substances. This
dum that decreed the end of
lacking nuclear power plants.
This simple truth has been noted
dirty secret became common
nuclear energy in Italy, when the
“We should re-examine some
by some well-known figures,
knowledge when the containment
Italian production of nuclear ener-
of the reasons that were put
including some environmentalists,
wall collapsed at the coal plant in
gy accounted for 4.5%. Perhaps
into play by those who, even
who have contributed towards the
eastern Tennessee, releasing a bil-
we just need to use common
now, still do not believe that
creation of this movement: Patrick
lion liters of toxic waste.
sense; to take a look around and
the choice of nuclear energy
Moore (founding partner of Green-
Unfortunately, the industry has no
see what others are doing and
in our country is rational or
peace), James Loveock (the famous
disposal plan in eastern Tennessee
learn, rather than always claiming
safe,” Bellone writes, because
author of Gaia), Stewart Brand
for the 130 million tons of carbon
to be at the top of the class, with
“the time has come to seriously
(practically a hero of the American
ash produced every year, which
little to show for it. Italy is the only
plan for our future.”
counter-culture, author of The
is enough to fill a million railcars.
one of the G8 nations (USA, Japan,
Whole Earth Catalog), Hugh Mon-
The danger is such that the Depar-
Canada, Germany, France, United
At the end of September in 2007, a
tefiore (founder of Friends of the
tment of Homeland Security has
Kingdom and Russia) that does not
worldwide conference in Venice
Earth), Stephen Tindale (former
pushed for including 44 of the
produce nuclear energy. Countries
entitled “The Energy Challenge”
director of Greenpeace UK) and
more vulnerable storage facilities
outside of the G8 circle that are
drew to a close. It had been
many others. Seeing as how these
to be placed on the classified list
using nuclear technologies also
initiated by the Umberto Veronesi
topics are unassailable, as usual,
of
not
include China, India and Brazil: the
Foundation for the Future of Sci-
those raising opposition to nuclear
fall into the hands of terrorists.”
three new protagonists of the
ence and had concluded with
energy try to bring fear and worry
Compare this to the modest
global economy.
Can anyone
the drafting of a document named
into play upon the Italian popula-
amount of waste produced by
explain to me for what inscrutable
the “Venice Charter.” The “Char-
tion. The seismism of our densely
nuclear power… And then, there
reason we are the only ones who
ter” was based on two premises.
populated land is cited systemati-
is the most common argument:
are supposed to have made the
The first was a reminder that in two
cally. And we tend to forget that
“Nuclear costs too much.” Is that
right choice?
or three decades the global demand
Japan has a high concentration of
really true? Maybe. Certainly, if
for energy will have grown by 50%,
volcanoes, earthquakes, popula-
oil, coal and gas do not cost much,
whereas the second underlined the
tions and nuclear plants.
they are more competitive than
fact that “the sun and the atom are
Or else, to cite the waste products
nuclear energy. Not to mention
potentially inexhaustible sources of
while neglecting to mention that
the still rather expensive cost of
energy.”
the safety criteria of the nuclear
renewable energy sources. But
Given the premises, we arrive at two
industry is such that it provides
herein lies the real problem: do we
sets of recommendations. The first is
guarantees that no other industrial
want to continue to depend upon
of a strategic nature: on the one
field can claim. For example, just
fossil fuels, which are entirely lack-
hand, the drastic reduction of the
for comparison, as the only correct
ing in Italy, for the next 100 years,
use of fossil fuels and, on the other,
way to evaluate the actual safety,
or isn’t it perhaps time to do some-
the strengthening of the use of re-
we could talk about the risks con-
thing else? In conclusion: is it really
newable and nuclear sources. The
nected to coal ashes. I will let
true that Italy has renounced the
second set of recommendations is of
structures
that
must
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