WWF adds weight to nuclear concerns

WWF has slammed the Government’s decision over a new nuclear programme, calling the technology ‘unnecessary, unstable and unsafe’. The conservation group’s comments follow similar claims from other leading green NGOs, and add to the general dismay from the environmental sector over the nuclear decision this week.

A recent report from WWF, with ippr and RSPB, demonstrated how the UK’s carbon emissions could be slashed by 80% by 2050 in an economically viable way without the use of nuclear power.

“The Government can’t hide behind the argument that new nuclear power is essential to meet the UK’s climate change targets and energy needs. Nuclear power is being presented as an environmental saviour, when it is unnecessary, unsustainable and unsafe,” commented Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF. “WWF has produced serious and credible reports, using the Government’s own models, which demonstrate that we can make deep cuts in our carbon emissions without having to resort to nuclear energy. Renewables could be producing up to 20% of all UK energy and 40% of UK electricity before the first nuclear power station is even functional.”