----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Swanson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Newsgroups: gmane.science.general.global-change
To: "globalchange" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 10:03 AM
Subject: [Global Change: 1851] Re: breaking the population bomb taboo
>>
>> Again, I refer you to the IPCC stabilization scenarios for estimates of
>> *global* nuclear power development, which range from six to ten times
>> higher
>> than today (approximately 2,500 to 4,500 1Gw plants world-wide, including
>> India and China). Expanding the use of fuel breeding and recycling
>> beyond
>> current practice may be necessary, and why not? Proliferation concerns
>> may
>> be addressed in various ways, such as "denatured plutonium" or integral
>> fast
>> reactor facilities, and continued commitment to the non-proliferation
>> treaty.
>
> I presume from the above that you think that nuclear power in Iran and
> North Korea is a good idea. If you disagree, then, why is it OK for
> nuclear power in ANY other nation, given that national governments
> have been known to undergo major changes over time. The "terrorists"
> aren't the only "bad actors", as we've seen many times in history.
Isn't it interesting to see how quickly a discussion of the population bomb
taboo has turned into a discussion of the nuclear bomb taboo?
You too easily equate "nuclear power" with "nuclear weapons". In principle
I don't think it is a bad idea for the people of Iran or North Korea to
enjoy the benefits of electric power, whether that be produced by combustion
or by fission.
With respect to nuclear weapons, I would prefer to see both nations sign and
abide by the NPT and allow regular IAEA inspections, and to choose not to
build nuclear weapons production facilities, just as most of the 30 or so
nations with nuclear power plants have done.
The ethical dilemmas of our time have us now confronting whether the human
toll and environmental consequences of a "limited" nuclear war with 1 or 10
or 100 weapons detonated would outweigh the human toll and environmental
consequences of failing to replace 2,500-4,500 coal-fired power plants with
nuclear power plants over the next 50-100 years.
I entertain the benefit of a doubt that the risk of nuclear war would be
substantially elevated by further development of nuclear power, and a case
could be made that greater prosperity and diversity of fuel supply would
actually reduce the risk of international conflict, but I wouldn't know how
to measure the risks in any case.
>
> I'll build a wind energy system in my backyard if you will build a
> nuke in yours.
>
I would have no problem living as close as possible to a nuclear plant, or
even *gasp* working in one. In fact, if property values near plants are
indeed depressed by the fear factor, then it is more likely that I would
find a house in my price range. ;-)
But as it turns out, the greater issue in my back yard is whether to build a
powerline to the west to bring more wind energy to market from Iowa,
Minnesota and western Wisconsin, or to build a powerline to the south to
bring more nuclear energy to market from Illinois, where it is quite likely
a new reactor will be built within a few years, or to build a powerline to
the east to bring more coal energy from the giant new coal plant already
under construction near Milwaukee. A vocal crowd doubts that any new
powerline is necessary at all, but we could expect to hear loud noises
either against new powerline construction to prevent black-outs, or in favor
of new powerline construction as a result of black-outs. Ain't democracy
grand?
-dl
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
Global Change ("globalchange") newsgroup. Global Change is a public, moderated
venue for discussion of science, technology, economics and policy dimensions of
global environmental change.
Posts will be admitted to the list if and only if any moderator finds the
submission to be constructive and/or interesting, on topic, and not
gratuitously rude.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/globalchange
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
