Germany votes Controversial to end Nuclear Pension changes Power by 2022 are a‘good deal’ Fourth largest industrial nation set to replace nuclear with renewable energy
German MPs have overwhelmingly approved plans to shut down the country's nuclear plants by 2022, putting Europe's biggest economy on the road to an ambitious build-up of renewable energy. The lower house of parliament voted 513-79 for the shutdown plan drawn up by Angela Merkel's government after Japan's post-tsunami nuclear disaster. Most of the opposition voted in favour. MPs sealed the shutdown of eight of the older reactors, which have been off the grid since March. Germany's remaining nine reactors will be shut down in
Röttgen said. The vote completed a spectacular about-turn on nuclear energy by Merkel’s centre-right coalition. Only last year, it had amended a previous centreleft government’s plan to abandon nuclear power by the early 2020s and extended the life span of Germany’s 17 reactors by an average of 12 years. Merkel said the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant had prompted her to re-evaluate the risks of nuclear power. Opposition leaders taunted the government over its
stages by the end of 2022. By 2020, Germany wants to double the share of energy stemming from water, wind, sun or biogas to at least 35%. Until this year, nuclear energy accounted for a little less than a quarter of Germany's power. "Some people abroad ask: will Germany manage this? Can it be done? It is the first time that a major industrial country has declared itself ready to carry through this technological and economic revolution," the environment minister, Norbert Röttgen, told MPs. "The message from today is this: the Germans are getting to work," he said. "This will be good for our country, because we all stand together. So let's get to work." The government hasn’t put a price tag on the plan to shift to renewable sources. “Of course it will cost something, but it won’t overburden anyone,”
U-turn, which Merkel initiated less than two weeks before two state elections in March. “We are approving this out of full conviction, but you are doing it merely to preserve power,” said Sigmar Gabriel, the head of the centre-left Social Democrats. Renate Künast, the co-leader of the Greens’ parliamentary group, said she didn’t care why Merkel had changed course: “For me, it’s enough of a historical irony that you now have to come close to what you fought for decades,” she said. “Now no one can deny that Germany wants an energy turnaround,” added Künast. Her party has always opposed nuclear energy, which has been unpopular in Germany since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster sent radioactivity drifting over the country.
www.ilmnews.com
The Government's controversial plans to reform public sector pensions are a "good deal", the Prime Minister insisted as he told hundreds of thousands of teachers, lecturers and civil servants they are wrong to go on strike. David Cameron said the changes being proposed for millions of public sector workers would secure affordable pensions for decades to come. And Labour leader Ed Miliband has urged unions to continue negotiating with the Government, saying that strikes were a "failure". Writing on his blog, he said: "I understand why teachers are so angry with the Government. But I urge them to think about whether causing disruption in the classroom will help people understand their arguments. "You do not win public backing for an argument about pensions by inconveniencing the public - especially not while negotiations are ongoing." They spoke out as the scale of disruption caused
by a 24-hour walkout at the end of June by members of four unions became clear, with thousands of schools, jobcentres, tax offices and courts were closed or badly disrupted. Driving tests were cancelled and customs checks at ports affected, while picket lines were mounted outside Government departments. Mr Cameron, addressing the annual conference of the Local Government Group in Birmingham, said reform was essential, warning that the pension system was in danger of "going broke" unless action was taken because people were living much longer. "We just can't go on as we are. That's not because, as some people say, public service pensions are ridiculously generous. In fact, around half of public service pensioners receive less than £6,000 a year. "The reason we can't go on as we are is because as the baby boomers retire - and thankfully live longer - the pension system is in danger of going broke."
Inside ILM Editorial Page 6
Zaroorat -e- Rishta Page 20 in URDU
Rotherham’s Future Page 6
Property Corner Page 10
Kon Kamyab Page 25 in URDU
Zakaat Page 26 in URDU
PMC Cricket League Page 12 Islam
and Jihad Page 28 in URDU
1