Why even environmentalists are supporting nuclear power today
NPR Online NewsAug 30, 2022
More Countries Get IAEA's Nod to Build Nuclear Power Plants
The Facts
About a dozen new countries could begin producing electricity from nuclear power sources within a few years, the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said at the World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris on Tuesday.
According to the IAEA, the number of nuclear reactors in the world must double to achieve the Paris climate agreement's targets. Grossi has said that 10 countries, including Nigeria, have already "entered the decision phase to build nuclear power plants."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Concerns about climate change, national security, and unreliable electrical grids have pushed the world to recognize that nuclear power has long been wrongfully stigmatized, especially in popular culture. Nuclear power is a zero-carbon, reliable energy source, far safer than other alternatives, such as coal and natural gas, in terms of deaths from accidents and pollution.
Establishment-critical narrative
Though it would be easy to genuinely believe the revival of nuclear energy will solve ongoing crises, including the climate breakdown, closer scrutiny shows an opposing reality. As nuclear reactors risk being weaponized, nuclear power is less reliable and safe than its advocates claim. The world should instead be investing in weather-based renewable energy.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that at least 8.3% of global primary energy consumption will be produced by nuclear power in 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.