Nuclear is not the Answer

This morning, Tuesday 19^th November, approximately thirty young people from across Europe took part in a demonstration outside the COP in Warsaw city centre.  As delegates walked into the stadium they stopped to take pictures of the demonstrators and engaged in conversation with many of them. Dressed in radiation suits and gas masks, carrying banners and placards, talking to passers-by the group raised their voices against nuclear power and all forms of dirty energy.

At COP19 nuclear power is once again being presented as the best alternative energy source there is – but we’re not falling for it. Nuclear energy produces carbon emissions at every stage in the nuclear process and is not an alternative that we at Young Friends of the Earth Ireland accept. Furthermore the promotion of nuclear energy adds to the corporate dimension of the COP as corporations play to politicians and push forward their own agendas, essentially making money from the UNFCCC. Civil society groups have paid a significant amount of attention to the corporate dimension of COP this year and Young Frien10941091935_c9940754b3_sds of the Earth is no exception.

Arguing for nuclear power as an energy alternative which is “climate change friendly” is quite frankly laughable and Young Friends of the Earth Ireland does not support nuclear energy or any other form of dirty energy.

Through the action which took place this morning along-side longstanding campaigns we seek to promote only renewable energies which will harm neither people nor planet.