Outside the Beltway

A Changed Mind on Nuclear Power

Steven L. Taylor · Wednesday, March 23, 2011 · 4 comments

George Monbiot, writing in the Guardian:

As a result of the disaster at Fukushima, I am no longer nuclear-neutral. I now support the technology.

A crappy old plant with inadequate safety features was hit by a monster earthquake and a vast tsunami. The electricity supply failed, knocking out the cooling system. The reactors began to explode and melt down. The disaster exposed a familiar legacy of poor design and corner-cutting. Yet, as far as we know, no one has yet received a lethal dose of radiation.

Monbiot is, btw, a self-described Green.

FILED UNDER: Science & Technology, World Politics, earthquake, The Guardian

About Steven L. Taylor

Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

Jack says:

Wednesday, 23 March 2011 at 17:53

From The New Scientist – Fossil fuels are far deadlier than nuclear power

IN THE wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan, Germany has temporarily shut down seven of its reactors and China, which is building more nuclear power plants than the rest of the world combined, has suspended approval for all new facilities. But this reaction may be more motivated by politics than by fear of a catastrophic death toll. It may be little consolation to those living around Fukushima, but nuclear power kills far fewer people than other energy sources, according to a review by the International Energy Agency (IAE).

“There is no question,” says Joseph Romm, an energy expert at the Center for American Progress in Washington DC. “Nothing is worse than fossil fuels for killing people.”
TG Chicago says:

Wednesday, 23 March 2011 at 20:02

Deja vu…

https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/fukushima-proves-nuclear-power-awesome/
Steven L. Taylor says:

Wednesday, 23 March 2011 at 20:47

What? You expect me to read everything around here? 🙂
Ivna says:

Monday, 28 March 2011 at 11:43

The nuclear accident in Fukushima bring us to a debate most of governments don`t wanna talk about. It involves more than we can imagine. Energy generation is in a deep crisis; water supplies worldwide are becoming more and more rare, sooner disputes will become stronger. Fossil generated energy is scarce, and it is already a good reason to nations invade other nations, as an excuse. So nuclear generated energy could be a good alternative not to fight with other countries, whether for the domain of oil or for prices control. But it doesn’t count on people’s interest. It counts on industry interest, in Japan, Germany, US, China, India.
Japan is in the middle of a general crisis; it needs leadership inside its territory, but also needs help. An earthquake, followed by a tsunami, causing a nuclear disaster is a bewildering combination – yet possible, how March 11th had shown us. And makes us rethink about what we call safe or “green”. And till when those energies can be named “harmless”.