Although the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published their special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 ºC nearly two years ago, the climate crisis is gaining increasingly more bipartisan attention in Washington, D.C. Mitigation strategies that support all forms of carbon-free energy generation, including nuclear, have gained notable popularity across the political spectrum, and now more than ever before, there is a consensus that adopting a carbon-free, technology-neutral climate plan is the best way to solve climate change.
With only months to the 2020 presidential election, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden recently unveiled his $2 trillion clean energy plan, which includes major reforms and investments in the energy sector to meet the goal of eliminating carbon emissions from power plants by 2035. Biden’s clean energy platform recognizes the essential role of nuclear in reaching his climate goal; it endorses investment in the existing nuclear fleet as well as the research and development of advanced nuclear reactors and supports technology-neutral Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standards.
While Biden’s policy recommendations reflect the longstanding Democratic support for wind and solar technology, the plan also aims to “leverage the carbon-pollution free energy provided by existing sources like nuclear.
Biden’s plan was crafted with the help of his unity task force, which brings together some of the most visible climate advocates such Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL), former Secretary of State John Kerry, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who sponsored the Green New Deal resolution. The Green New Deal, while controversial and far-reaching in many of its ideas, also focuses heavily on a technology-neutral approach to bring down carbon emissions.
When asked about nuclear energy’s place in the Green New Deal during a primary debate for her district on May 18, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez spoke on its importance, saying nuclear is an “important element of our clean energy mix.”
“This is absolutely a critical part of the conversation,” said Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. “One thing I’d like to clarify is that the Green New Deal does leave the door open for nuclear.”
Last night during the #NY14 debate, @AOC made it clear that the door is open for nuclear energy in the #GreenNewDeal 💯👏
— Third Way Climate & Energy (@ThirdWayEnergy) May 19, 2020
"The GND leaves the door open for nuclear," but community input & vetting new technologies is key. 1/ pic.twitter.com/6Lhi8MxNdO
Republican leaders have also backed nuclear as a critical component of climate change mitigation. Lawmakers in the House Science, Space and Technology Committee in early 2020 held a hearing which hailed nuclear energy as a necessary clean energy source in the United States and made the case for more investment in advanced nuclear technology. Although no policy recommendations resulted from the hearing, House Republicans like minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) have taken on climate change as a policy priority.
In a statement made on his website, Rep. McCarthy stated, “Republicans have plans to reduce those emissions while investing in clean energy technology that will lead to less emissions, lower costs, and produce as much or more power. Chief among them is advanced nuclear technology.”
The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis reached a similar conclusion on the importance of nuclear in their ambitious congressional roadmap for climate action which they released in late June. The expansive package of proposals, developed over the course of a year, aims to achieve net-zero emissions in the electricity sector by 2040 and recognizes nuclear as a crucial carbon-free energy source.
“Where we landed is: If we're going to get to our net-zero goal as soon as possible, then nuclear needs to remain part of the equation,” said Committee Chair Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL).
As the impacts of rising carbon emissions become an increasingly pressing issue, the conversation on climate change has evolved among the country’s decision-makers and thought leaders. The wide-reaching and bipartisan consensus on an all-of-the-above strategy make it even more clear: if we are serious about reducing emissions at an accelerated rate, nuclear must have a place in any long-term energy plan.
