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Money is not the only self-seeking motive for promoting nuclear power

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Capt D has pointed out how political leaders can become beholden to the nuclear lobby . So, indeed, can academics who are paid for pro nuclear views and research. So, of course, many writers are already benefiting financially from promoting nuclear power.

But it’s not that simple, especially in Australia.  There are other motivations – such as being seen as important, as  a leader, even if there is not, at present, any financial gain from promoting the nuclear industry.  For example, I’m pretty sure that Barry Brook gains no financial return from the industry, for his extensive pro nuclear lobbying.  But he does gain the importance of being almost certainly the only Australian climate scientist who devotes himself to the nuclear cause. Definitely a leader – of sorts!

Then there are the academic and other sheepies – who note all this pro nuclear stuff, and, without much scrutiny of the full issue, decide to go on the “nuclear fixes climate change” bandwagon.  After all, the trend is for scientists to be concerned about climate change (and rightly so – plenty of evidence there). So they now seem to adopt the (much more dubious) trend that nuclear power is the cure for climate change.

Then there are the thorium nuclear wannabees – who like to enthusiastically jump on a new bandwagon  – be part of the “latest” gee-whiz thing – again , that’s a motive that need not involve financial gain – but does involve some sort of glory by association with the new thorium nuclear companies.

December 27, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes