Nuclear energy a "green" option in Asia
China and India, among others, increase the production of nuclear energy. But IPCC Chairman Rajendra K. Pachauri makes certain reservations. Nuclear energy isn't for everyone, he says
Marianne Bom | COP15 Copenhagen | 22/06/2009 13:30
Nuclear power is an option for most developing countries in Asia as a source of non-fossil energy.
That was the message from experts speaking at a forum on climate change in Manila last week, arranged by the Asian Development Bank and the United States Agency for International Development.
"Developing Asian countries – whether they like it or not – should take a look at nuclear power as a source of energy," said Piyasvasti Amranand, Chief Advisor of the Bangkok based Energy for Environment Foundation and former Thai Energy Minister, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.
Piyasvasti Amranand said that renewable energy may not be enough to meet the needs of the fast growing region. The average annual GDP growth rate of the region was 3.5 percent from 1990 to 2006. That resulted in an annual energy consumption growth rate of 3.2 percent. Asia now accounts for 30 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.
Both China and India – the largest energy consumers in the region – plan to increase the production of nuclear power as part of their energy policies.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has endorsed nuclear energy as one of the "commercially available climate change mitigating technologies," but IPCC Chairman Rajendra K. Pachauri said nuclear power isn't for everyone.
"Nuclear energy provides a solution (to our climate change problem), but it’s not a solution (fit) for every country in the world. You need a certain infrastructure, engineering skills and safety standards that are followed very strictly. Not every country can ensure that," he said.
Construction of more than 100 nuclear reactors is planned world wide over the next ten years, according to the Canadian uranium mining company Cameco. The global shift toward nuclear power is prompting countries to secure their uranium deliveries with long-term supply agreements and by buying shares in companies producing uranium, reports Reuters.
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