Read the reports and books listed here to learn what others are saying about nuclear energy's role in averting climate change and protecting the environment, while helping to meet U.S. and global energy needs.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EPA Analysis of the American Power Act of 2010 (Kerry/Lieberman), June 2010. The core policy scenario for reducing greenhouse gas emissions would require more than doubling total nuclear capacity by 2050. If all existing U.S. operating reactors retire at 60 years, the United States will need to build another 253 gigawatts of nuclear capacity (about 181 new reactors).U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “EPA Analysis of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454, Waxman/Markey),” June 2009. The core policy scenario for reducing greenhouse gas emissions projects that the United States will increase nuclear power generation by 150% (about 180 new nuclear reactors) by 2050.
Joint Statement of the Academies of Science for the G8+5 Countries, “Climate Change Adaptation and the Transition to a Low Carbon Economy,” 2008. The statement recommends accelerating the transition to a “low carbon economy,” producing more energy from such low-carbon sources as nuclear power.
Electric Power Research Institute, “Prism/MERGE Analyses: 2009 Update.” The technical potential exists for the electric sector to achieve a 41 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 using a full portfolio of technologies that includes 45 new nuclear reactors.
Energy Information Administration, “Energy Market and Economic Impacts of H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009,” August 2009. The basic scenario projects that the United States would need 96 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity (almost 70 reactors) by 2030.
OECD/International Energy Agency, “World Energy Outlook 2009,” 2009. Stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide at 450 parts per million would require nearly doubling nuclear capacity by 2030.Business Roundtable, “The Balancing Act: Climate Change, Energy Security and the U.S. Economy," 2009. “As the only existing, proven and scalable low-carbon baseload generation technology, nuclear power will be critical to managing the impending turnover in baseload capacity in a sustainable manner.”
World Business Council for Sustainable Development, “Towards a Low-Carbon Economy,” 2009. “Existing technologies such as … nuclear have to be extensively deployed across countries to implement concrete mitigation actions.”
“The GeoPolitics of Energy: Achieving a Just and Sustainable Energy Distribution by 2040,” Judith Wright and James Conca. BookSurge Publishing, 2007. “A colorfully illustrated manual for understanding energy sources. ...The authors conclude that the future power source distribution should be evenly split among renewables, fossil fuel and nuclear. The final third of the book is primarily devoted to explaining nuclear energy and waste handling. …This is an easily absorbed, knowledge-enhancing introduction to energy usage, distribution and goals.”—Amazon.com
“Power to Save the World: The Truth About Nuclear Energy,” Gwyneth Cravens. Published by Vintage, 2007. “My book is fundamentally about prejudice based on wrong information. I used to oppose nuclear power. … When I began my research eight years ago, I’d assumed that we had many choices in the way we made electricity. But we don’t. Nuclear power is the only large-scale, environmentally benign, time-tested technology currently available to provide clean electricity.”—Gwyneth Cravens
“Terrestrial Energy: How Nuclear Power Will Lead the Green Revolution and End America’s Energy Odyssey.” William Tucker. Published by Bartleby Press, 2008. “Veteran journalist William Tucker has relied on years of research and investigation to help us make sense of America’s energy predicament without the burdens of political pressures or predetermined outcomes. …Tucker is not content to merely give an argument about why nuclear is the best choice for our energy future. Instead he meticulously surveys entire the energy scene that has frustrated Americans for the past 30 years.”—Amazon.com"Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto,” Stewart Brand. Published by Viking Adult, 2009. "If we encourage it in the right way, nuclear energy growing well would mean that it minimizes humanity’s carbon-loading of the atmosphere; that it collaborates well with other carbon-free or superefficient energy forms; that it helps generate other Green services such as desalination or hydrogen ... that it helps eliminate nuclear weapons; that it securely energizes cities and thereby helps to reduce world poverty..." —Stewart Brand